Before (The Rewrite)
by AriTheDoggo
Summary: A princess, drowning in failure. A knight, full of doubts and haunted by the demons of his past. Four champions, chosen to aid them in defeating the incarnation of hatred and malice itself. But with every second that ticks by, the hero and princess are buried deeper. () Pre-BoTW - mostly true to the memories, except for when it isn't. Slight, SLIGHT Zelink.
1. Prologue

**This story is rated T for minor violence later on, and I guess a bit of possible depression and such. No bad language or anything like that included. This might even be an exaggerated rating, but I don't want to risk it.**

 **I am not Nintendo. I probably shouldn't be left in charge of anything that big, either. It would probably end up going up in flames or something XD  
**

* * *

 **Last Edited 5/7/19**

* * *

 _ **Prologue**_

With every age of peace and prosperity, there is another of darkness and despair. In the ancient realm of Hyrule, many of these ages were caused by an ancient evil, which has endured and grown throughout the ages.

This evil's name and appearance changes with time. They say that, in the beginning, this evil was known as the great Demon King, Demise. However, the records that describe this demon king were old and weathered, even tens of thousands of years ago, the language as old as the earth below.

This evil is said to be reincarnated over and over, seeking revenge on those that trapped it… and power over all that is light. Demise, Ganondorf, Ganon, Dark Beast… slowly, the humanity of this evil was replaced by complete and utter malice for the hero's spirit and bloodline of the princess who constantly sealed it away, prohibiting its rise to power that was never meant to be.

In this day and age, the one that I will share the story of, this evil had lost every sense of humanity, the hollowness filled by the purest hatred for those who sealed it away. It no longer sought to gain control and power over the land, instead seeking nothing more than the satisfaction of Hyrule's complete and utter destruction.

This incarnation of the evil's hatred is known as _Calamity Ganon_. When it first reared its head, the ancient Sheikah realized it to be more powerful and destructive than ever before. Lack of a mind seemed to create a reckless sense of destruction in their newly reborn foe. In their wisdom, the Sheikah constructed an army of mechanical soldiers to protect the hero and princess before they dealt the final blow. The soldiers were dubbed as Guardians. They also created the great Divine Beasts, some of the greatest mechanical wonders in history, to weaken Ganon before the hero's attack.

That was ten thousand years before _this_ story. The stories of before that have been lost to all but a few, yet remain vague and hazy even to they.

No, this story is of the people preceding the Age of Burning Fields. These people, despite their extensive preparations, were never quite prepared for what was to come. They are often blamed for the great destruction that followed their deaths - considered the greatest failures among failures. However, some do not realize just how extensive their preparations were, or how much tension built in their land.

This is the story… of the age before the Calamity.

* * *

The throne room was large and ornately decorated. Banners depicting Hyrule's somewhat iffy history draped the walls, colorful stained glass windows coloring the light flowing in and casting shades of blue and gold in the room.

The king, King Rhoam Bosphoramous Hyrule, sat tall and firm upon his throne. The throne was gold (It was probably solid- just goes to show how rich these people were), decorated with jewels, and the king rested his behind upon scarlet silk. Beside him on a similar throne, though considerably smaller, was the queen, Queen Zelda Bosphoramous Hyrule IV, who takes her name from the royal tradition of naming the first born daughters "Zelda." The reasoning behind this tradition is unknown, but people stopped asking questions a long time ago.

And before them bowed an elderly woman, beside her one that was far younger, looking about thirteen or so. Both had silvery hair and blood colored eyes, a defining trait of the Sheikah. I suppose that the eye tattoos and the Sheikah robes would also qualify as "defining."

"The signs of resurrection of Calamity Ganon are clear," The Sheikah elder said firmly. "The power to oppose it lies dormant, beneath the ground."

"And what would this power be, Lady Rala?" The king asked. Lady Rala, the older woman, was the royal adviser. The girl beside her was her apprentice.

"The machines created by the ancient Sheikah ten thousand years ago," The girl cut in, but not without a glare from her mentor. "They _must_ be the key to defeating the Calamity."

"Is that a prophecy?" The king asked with the rise of an eyebrow.

"No," Lady Rala said plainly, giving her student a pointed look. "I apologize, Your Highness. My student tends to speak out of turn. We've received prophecies of the rise of the Calamity, of course - it's a mere matter of years before its revival. The ancient texts have made it clear that we must search the ground for the machines which are vital to the Calamity's defeat!"

"You believe that it is too powerful for the hero and my daughter to defeat it without dependency on these 'machines' of which you speak," The king stated.

"We should, at the very least, find the machines," The apprentice cut in once again. "Not only would they aid in defeating the calamity, but they would also give Hyrule an even larger amount of technology. They could be used in battles against other kingdoms, correct? Our armies would be invincib-"

"Impa, that is enough," Lady Rala scolded the apprentice. "His Highness will decide how they will be used." Lady Rala turned to the king, awaiting his response.

The king looked thoughtful. "If the signs are truly that clear… I give you permission to organize and oversee the excavation of these machines. Do as you must, Lady Rala."

Lady Rala bowed deeply before turning away, her... lively apprentice on her heels.

* * *

 _Weeks Later..._

 _Come on, come on, come on!_ The young Rito, about twelve years old in age, pleaded as he pulled back an arrow, his sharp eyes set on the bull's eye before him.

He released it, sending the arrow into the third circle from the center. The young Rito groaned.

"Come on, Revali," Said a voice from beside the boy. He turned to see his mentor and father, a dark blue feathered Rito with sharp golden eyes. "You can do it."

The Rito child nodded silently before turning back to the target. He pulled back the arrow and aimed it to the best of his ability. Come on! He drew in a deep breath, before finally releasing the arrow.

Dead center.

The Rito child pumped a fisted wing in triumph. _I got one! I did it!  
_

* * *

"Well done, Princess!" The Zora smiled and gave a small clap.

The Zora princess smiled and placed her trident back on the wall. "Thank you, Seggin. May I ask you something?"

"Anything, Princess Mipha," The Zora said with a nod.

"I heard something about a troupe of Hylian knights visiting to share techniques and such," The Zora princess stated. "Is this accurate?"

The other Zora nodded. "Indeed. Only the best of them, of course. I heard they even managed to get Sir Koruma to come, though they had to agree to allow his family to attend beside him."

The Zora princess had heard of this "Sir Koruma." He was renowned as a natural leader, and an extremely skilled knight of the Royal Guard. He was offered the title of Captain of the Royal Guard, one of the highest ranks one could get, but he turned it down because it meant not spending as much time with his family. It was surprising that he agreed at all, though she supposed that Zora's Domain was a considerable vacation spot for families.

The Zora princess touched her chin thoughtfully. For some reason she felt that this trip was important in some way, though she could certainly be wrong. She was a young Zora, with a mind foolish and exaggerated.

* * *

The mighty Goron crushed the last of the remaining bokoblins, before turning to see who he had saved.

The man stood, brushing dust off of his trousers. The Goron did not understand why Hylians wore so much clothing, especially this close to Death Mountain. The poor man was probably burning to death, even more so because of the stuffy armor he was wearing. Not that the Goron knew how that felt. The closest to burning the Goron had ever experienced was when he had accidentally stepped in a puddle of lava.

The man smiled sheepishly. "Thank you. You must be Chief Daruk."

"The one and only!" The Goron grinned. "You gotta be careful up here. Monsters have been becoming more common around here."

"Y-yes, my apologies." The Hylian stumbled. "I'm actually here to ask for permission."

"Permission for what, now?" The Goron asked, genuinely curious.

The Hylian pushed up his glasses and stood up a little straighter. "I am here on behalf of Lady Rala to ask for permission to dig in these parts. We seek to find the mechanical army of Guardians due to the rising signs of the return of Calamity Ganon."

The Goron chief regarded the Hylian before him for hardly a moment before shrugging and nodding. "Anything for the Royal Family!" He patted the Hylian on the back, sending the knight flying forward.

"...Oops."

* * *

A tall, tan, red headed woman sat upon her throne, regarding the woman before her with interest.

"A Hylian messenger," The Gerudo chief mused. "What news do you bring us on this fine day?"

The female knight bowed her head. "The signs of the calamity have become clearer. We seek to search the desert sands for the mechanical beasts and the Guardians spoken of in the legends."

The Gerudo chief looked deep in thought. The room was in tense silence for minutes- wait no, months? It was in silence for what seemed forever to the Hylian messenger, but it seemed to be merely a single moment to the Gerudo chief.

"I will allow you to excavate within the Gerudo lands - on one condition."

The messenger tensed.

"If _anything_ is taken from the desert without permission - that includes ancient machinery and _any_ other object," The chief added, "then we will no longer permit excavation."

The messenger was relieved, but refused to show it. Instead she politely bowed her head again. "The Royal Family offers their gratitude."

The chief nodded. "I owe them for bringing our tribe back to Hyrule all those years ago." The chief sat up as straight as possible. "Sav'orq, Hylian messenger. Give my best wishes to the queen."

"Sav'orq, Chief Urbosa."

* * *

"Papa!" The little boy ran towards the knight, just dismounting before their home, with a wide grin.

The knight looked quite a lot like the boy. They had the same messy blonde hair, of the same shade and thickness. The only difference between the two was their eyes, the soldier having a laughing emerald and the boy having a piercing sky blue.

The knight had been patting his horse's neck before turning and seeing the child. The soldier's stoic expression shifted to a beaming smile as he saw the boy.

"Hello, my boy!" The knight greeted as he met the running child in the middle and plucked him off of the ground with a grin. "I missed you while I was away!"

"I missed you too, Papa!" The boy chirped as he hugged his father as firmly as one with such tiny arms could.

"Well, now," Said a female voice. The knight looked up at the brunette woman, with eyes to match the boy's, who stood in the doorway. "You're late," She said disapprovingly.

The knight placed the boy gently on the ground before giving his wife a peck on the cheek. "I ran into a bit of trouble on the way home," He said with a sheepish grin.

The woman sighed, before smiling. "So long as you didn't get injured."

"I have a surprise for both of you." The soldier drew them both into a huddle, the boy excited and curious, the woman looking quite amused. "How would you like to go on a trip... to _Zora's Domain?_ "

The words' effect on the child was immediate. His eyes grew wide and sparkled with curiosity, and he pulled out to jump in excitement. "I get to meet the fish people!" The boy cheered.

"Zora, Link," The woman corrected with a chuckle.

"Zohrah," The boy attempted.

"Zor…" The woman said slowly, trying to get the child to copy her.

"Zor…" The boy said uncertainly.

"Rah." The knight chuckled in the background at their antics.

"Rah!"

"Zora."

"...Zohrah!"

The knight burst into laughter while the boy met a disbelieving look from his mother. It took her a moment to recover. "Close enough," She managed to say with a roll of her eyes.

* * *

The Hylian princess beamed as she twisted the wildflowers her maid had brought her into a beautiful crown.

"That is _beautiful_ , my Little Bird!" The queen laughed. The queen lifted the flower crown off of the ground and placed it gently upon her daughter's head, among the sunny golden locks. "You make a beautiful princess."

Then the little princess frowned. "Princess Lana said that I'll be a really bad princess, though."

The queen's face matched her daughter's. "Now, that isn't true!"

"But Lana knows everything!" The little princess pouted.

The queen pulled the child into her lap. "Zelda, my love, all will be well in the end. You can do anything." The queen smiled her beautiful smile. "You can, and _will_ , be the greatest princess this kingdom has ever seen!"

The little princess tilted her head at the queen, her young mind still within that wonderful youthful oblivion, before smiling. "Yes, Mommy! I'll make you proud!"

* * *

 **Hello there! Welcome to the rewrite of Before! I already like this one better! Hey, hey, I know that some of you aren't exactly happy with this. Feel free to set my lawn on fire.**

 **So... to those of you that are new... whatever you do, DON'T READ THE ORIGINAL. It sucks, and it has a lot of spoilers! So, if you haven't already read it, please avoid it like the plague, because if you read it, you'll probably get the flu or something.**

 **Also, I _love_ reviews! Even a "You don't _completely_ suck at this, Ari!" is extreme motivation juice. However, I have one rule about them. You can't write, "I'd rather stare at the sun for the next two hours than read another page of this." Because, for one, _ouch!_ My feelings! And, if you only say "I hate this," then I can't _fix_ it! So do give a reasoning for hating it. _Then_ tell me how much you hate it.**

 **It would also be nice if you told me about any grammar mistakes. I try my best to spell everything right and use proper grammar, but I found a _lot_ of mistakes in my old story. So, do tell me if you see one! If you do, you'll get a gold star!**

 **And to my old readers, try not to mention possible spoilers. I'm sure there are some newbies that read the reviews for some reason XD**

 **Oh, and thanks to all of you that helped me figure out where to start chapter 1 (In progress now)! I would probably be stuck in a hole, carving ideas into the rocky dirt walls, and failing miserably to find out how to start this story! XD**

 **Also (sorry, this is getting long), (Warning, possible spoilers for the newbies!) I am wondering if I should still include Fi in the same way as the last story. You guys are helpful, and you are also the readers. Should I keep Fi in it?**

 **Thank you, guests, regulars, silent readers, and my old readers! I do hope you enjoyed this prologue!**

 **Most sincerely (I MEAN IT THIS TIME),**

 **Ari~**


	2. Chapter 1: The Pedestal of Time

**Edited 5/9/19**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1: The Pedestal of Time**_

It was a mere few years ago that the king decreed all knights, squires, and other men of the kingdom's army were to attempt to pull a sword from a pedestal in the Temple of Time.

But it wasn't exactly your everyday sword. This was the Blade of Evil's Bane. The Sword that Seals the Darkness. The Sacred, the Legendary. But this sword was more commonly known as the Master Sword, wielded only by those worthy of the title "Hero of Legend," something they needed as soon as possible. That was the reasoning behind it, of course.

And, of course, Princess Zelda had to watch them do it. Perhaps it was her father's way of torturing her into unlocking her sacred Sealing Power. Perhaps he thought it was envy or guilt that would awaken her power.

 _Or boredom,_ She thought as she watched yet another knight fail to pull the sword. He had barely touched it before he yanked his hands away, hissing under his breath. What was more interesting about this one, you may ask? The sword did burn anyone after a while (...or kill them)… but this one was immediate rather than after a few seconds. Zelda could see the blisters forming on his fingertips already. _Ouch._

"Sir Gruse Hawkin!" The name caller… well, _called_.

A tall, sturdy man with reddish brown hair (And a hairstyle that reminded Zelda of a rooster) stepped forward from the line. He went up the steps, towards the sword…

He wasn't burned immediately, like the previous. He lasted about fifteen seconds, longer than most, before the sword seemed to get annoyed and burned him.

"Sir Link Equitem!"

The name was a bit unusual, but when this "Sir Link" was called, a mere _boy_ walked forward. Zelda thought there was some mistake. But there he was, on the list and dressed in the armor of a soldier, with the same stoic stare as many of the other knights. Not only that, but he carried the insignia of the Royal Guard.

 _Maybe he's just… really short?_

Zelda would have slouched and groaned as he approached the sword, just like _everyone else,_ but managed to remain sitting firmly and formally in her seat. Just like the _perfect_ princess she was supposed to be! Even if she hadn't unlocked her powers, she was still expected to be prim and proper - not that anyone would care.

The boy laid his hands on the sword. It did not burn him like the previous soldiers.

No. Instead, it started to _glow_.

A shimmering cerulean came over the blade, engulfing it like flames licking wood.

Then the sword slid out like a knife through butter.

There was a long silence. Then...

 _No!_ Zelda gasped audibly, and she could hear it around the room, as well.

The Divine Beasts had been discovered. The Guardians were being studied. The champions were roughly decided. The sword had chosen its master, who, by the looks of it, must've been some sort of prodigy swordsman.

All of this - and Zelda had yet to awaken her powers.

* * *

 _Just a few minutes earlier…_

"I'm going to pull it out!" A tall, sturdy knight claimed with a grin.

"Nah, you ain't." The knight beside him huffed. "You won' last ten seconds."

Their conversation really wasn't helping Link's nerves. However, Link was an observer. He listened and watched. That was all he did, other than the occasional "skilled sword fighting," as his mentor stated. Other than that, he was quite useless.

However, his habit of observing… it made it very difficult to block _anything_ out.

"I bet _you_ won't last _four_!" The first shot back.

"How much?"

"...Let's say ten rupees?"

The second scoffed. "That's child's play. I bet _twenty_ that you'll start crying when it burns ya!"

"I bet you sixty that you won't pull it!"

"I bet _you_ sixty that ya won' pull it!"

"Deal!"

"Deal!"

 _...Okay?_

"Hey," The first said suddenly. Link jerked his head towards the direction of the voice. The first voice belonged to a tall man with a rusty colored hair color. "What's a little kiddo like you doing here?" The knight prodded Link's shoulder.

"He's too young to be 'round here." The other laughed.

"I'm here for the same reason as you," Link said as calmly and blankly as he could, though he very much agreed with the senior knights. However, here he was. "To try pulling out a sword that doesn't want to be pulled."

"And what makes you say _that_?" The tall one huffed.

Link thought it was quite obvious. "It's literally _burning_ the hands of all who touch it." Link's point was proven as, up at the pedestal, a dark haired knight immediately tugged his hand away from the handle of the sword with a hiss.

" _No_!" Both of the knights exclaimed, faking surprise, sarcasm dripping from their voices.

"Keep it down!" Another knight hissed, leaning out of the line, before his eyes landed on Link. "What's this _runt_ doing here?"

"He's a _knight_! Can you believe it? He even carries the symbol of the Royal Guard!" The tall knight gushed.

 _It's not like I get what they see in me, either. But I have to do what I'm told. That's all I'm meant to do, after all. A lowly soldier, trained for combat.  
_

"The cap'ain must be getting awfully desperate," The newcomer mumbled before standing back up straight and facing forward once again. _Ouch._ As much as Link agreed, that still hurt.

"Sir Gruse Hawkin!"

"That's my cue," The tall one grunted, sending a smirk to the knight beside him. "I'll be expectin' some rupees."

And he went off. He lasted a bit longer than the others, but either his enduring towards the burning gave in, or the sword liked him a bit more than the others, before suddenly deciding that he was incompetent.

"Sir Link Equitem!"

Link forced himself not to wince. Instead of running away, like every normal instinct of his told him to do, he made sure his face was wiped clean of all emotion and forced himself to move towards the sword. Some people who the sword saw as especially unworthy were... killed on the spot. When their bodies were examined afterwards, there wasn't a sign of any damage. It was as if the sword had… sapped the life out of them.

He reached the sword, hesitating momentarily before its presence. He was all too aware of the eyes burning into him.

 _Please…_ He pleaded as he reached for the purple hilt. _I know I'm useless to you. Burn my hands, cripple me… just please,_ please _don't kill me. I have unfinished business here._

He blinked away flashbacks, wrapped his hands around the hilt, and tugged.

The sword's blade was engulfed in a brilliantly sky colored hue. A comforting warmth spread from his hands to the rest of him. The grass green grip was smooth yet firm in hand. A strange sense of _rightness_ bubbled up from inside him. _This is mine._

The sword slid out. Link raised it to his eyes. His brain wasn't working properly. He had forgotten all about the crowd that surrounded him, the eyes that had burned into his back.

It was when the silence seemed to linger far too long, a tension filled air building up in the room, that it finally hit Link.

 _I drew the sword?! Wha- why-_ how _?!_

Then a voice cut off any further thoughts... though it wasn't much of a voice. Rather, like gentle chimes in a flowing breeze.

" _Welcome, Master Link. I have been waiting for you."_

* * *

 **I'm sorry that this took so long to get out. I had it done several days ago, but I've been trying to write a chapter ahead, and I've also gone through this one chapter about fifty thousand times to make sure that I got it right. After all, this is an important scene! And even on my most recent check through it, I found, like, _five_ grammatical errors! So, if you think I could fix any of this, maybe add some more details somewhere, do not hesitate to tell me! If you spot any grammar errors, please, _please_ tell me, because I hate making small mistakes like that! The whole point of this rewrite is to make it great! Not like the stuff I rushed to get out in the old one. There were _daily_ uploads at one point! _Daily!_**

 **Did anyone notice any easter eggs in this chapter? There's only one, and I tried to keep it vague, but if you noticed, do tell me in a review!**

 **I will get to the replies sooner or later. However, I will first explain the "Secret Review Phrase." Stupid name, as it isn't exactly secret. Long story short, I will choose a completely random word, and you reviewers can place it within your review to tell me that you actually care about this Author's Note! XD You don't have to, it's just a fun little thing I made up at some point in the previous draft of this story.**

 **Now, onto the replies! Wow, there's _seven_ reviews already! Strap yourselves in, because there are going to be a LOT of replies!**

 **bladeofthebookworms: Aw, thanks! I want to get more into the characters of the champions, as well as Impa, in this rewrite, because I kind of tossed them aside for later on in the rough draft of this story. I guess the prologue was symbolizing that. I'm DEFINITELY keeping Fi, now, because there are a surprising amount of people that will set my lawn on fire (I swear I'm not a pyromaniac) if I don't include her. I'll definitely do my best to keep up the great work (I'm glad you consider it great)! :D**

 **MeaninglessMayhem: Thanks for the motivation juice! Awesome already?! REALLY?!**

 **Ancientarrow1256: Thank you for the feedback! I'm definitely including her now! I even included her in _this_ chapter, though it isn't much. :D**

 **RoseyMirror: I'll go fix that. I decided to call her Rala in the end, but at first I was thinking Ralra might be a good name. Then I decided it didn't quite roll off the tongue. I thought I fixed it, but it looks liked I didn't! Thank you for pointing it out! I definitely agree! I think that my bluntness ruined the old one, so I'm trying to be a bit more detailed. I want to include the champions _and_ Impa more often, as well, because I kind of tossed them aside in the old one. I'm so glad you like it so far!**

 **Theticsquash57: I don't know if I should be excited that you enjoy it, or terrified because of your sinister laugh at the end XD**

 **AddyBOTWfan13: Wow, thank you! I like it quite a lot more than the previous one. Yes, I am picking favorites. No, you are not allowed to tell the original _Before_. I'm glad it's a nice vacation from your traitorous shipping mind (XD). I would write romance, but I really, _really_ can't. XD**

 **WrittenInBold: Aw, thanks! Yeah, I'm definitely keeping Fi, now. I'm planning on giving her a more important role other than irritating poor Link! Doesn't mean I won't make her irritate him at some point, though. XD**

 **Phew! That's a lot of replies! I'm sorry this chapter wasn't longer, but I'm not entirely sure what to (your secret review phrase is the words "easter eggs") add. If you have any good ideas for more details in this chapter, or any ideas, really, do tell me! Even if I do not end up using them, your idea could end up inspiring a part in a later chapter!**

 **Oh, and that includes a different last name for Link. I wasn't very creative. DON'T PUT IT IN GOOGLE TRANSLATE, OR ELSE YOU'LL END UP LAUGHING AT ME! D:**

 **Thank you, everybody! I hope you enjoyed reading!**

 **Sincerely (Maybe),**

 **Ari~**


	3. Chapter 2: Ninety-Six Percent

_**Chapter 2: Ninety-Six Percent**_

With the sword drawn, and the Divine Beasts discovered, it was only a matter of time before Zelda's father chose the Champions. And, luckily for Zelda, he decided to send her to ask them. It was a great way to study the Divine Beasts first hand. Better yet, she could do something _helpful_ for once!

Not so luckily, he sent two knights to guard her. She was absolutely _jumping_ with joy. _Jumping_!

Not only that, but her father was planning to assign a personal knight to attend to her needs and watch her every move. She was _soaring_ with the _largest_ amount of jubilation one could _possibly_ feel. _Obviously_.

Anyway, that's why she was going to Rito Village. The first that her father had chosen was Revali. He was renowned for his great skill with the bow, as well as with aerial techniques. It was only natural that he would be the one to pilot the flying Divine Beast, Vah Medoh.

Oh, what fun she was going to have. Zelda wondered how she could get the knights off her tail…

* * *

Link _hated_ this. He had had plenty of spotlight before, what with being a "skilled" warrior and being the youngest knight since… someone. Link didn't hear that part of the conversation. Impa had dragged him away. He was also the youngest member of the Royal Guard since… ever, as far as he knew.

But now he was _not_ only the youngest member of the Royal Guard/knight in a few centuries/forever, but also had a magical sword that liked making him think he was insane.

 _"You are not insane, Master Link."_

 _I am talking to an inanimate object. How is that not insane?_

 _"I was not always an inanimate object. I once took on a form that was quite animate, Master Link."_ The sword replied

Well, moving on from the talking sword… that only _he_ could hear, by the way! Becoming the one chosen by the sword was _not_ what he'd expected that day. He'd asked that it wouldn't _kill_ him, not that it would choose him, _thank you very much_.

 _"You do not seem thankful in the slightest. Is that what humans call 'sarcasm?'"_

 _...No?_ Hey, he had to at least _try_ to stay on good terms with the sword, lest it would murder him.

 _"I sense that there is a ninety six percent chance that you are lying. Therefore, it is most probable that your previous statement of thanks was sarcastic."_

The sword's sense of logic was quite astounding. It was not unlike Link's own constant calculating, though it seemed that the sword had better reasons. Why on earth would anyone care about a simple painting in the background?

 _"A wise person once stated that a picture is worth a thousand words. Therefore, one can gather helpful information from a single painting."_

Link wanted to make sure that this wasn't just another voice in his head. _Like I need more of those._ Im- er, Dame - er… _Lady_ Impa would probably know what was going on.

 _"You don't seem to have a formal relationship with this 'Lady Impa.' Would I be correct?"_

 _She's a… mentor of mine_. Maybe it wasn't just a random voice in his head, what with all of the trying to figure out as much about him as possible. If it was actually his mind making up voices, then it would already know that. And since when did voices attach themselves to inanimate objects?

That was when Link nearly ran into someone. He quickly stepped out of the way, before realizing it was the very person he wanted to speak to.

"Good day, Lady Impa," Link greeted formally, dipping his head slightly.

"Good day, Sir Link," Impa replied, her crimson eyes quickly landing on the sword strapped to Link's torso. She raised one of her silvery eyebrows. "I was not aware that the sword had chosen its master."

 _Huh. I'm first to know something for once. In your face, Impa!_

"I heard that," Impa mumbled, just loud enough that Link could hear her.

Link had forgotten about Impa's expertise at the Sheikah technique _vidensia_ , or as Link preferred to call it, the Sheikah version of mind reading. He would have to remember how to do the mind block that he was taught when he was younger. Maybe that would work on voices in his head, too?

 _"It depends, Master Link. However, if you were referring to me, as I assume you are, the answer would be a negative, Master."_

 _Great. Just great. Wonderful, even!_

"What's this about voices?" Impa questioned.

"Actually, I came to ask for some advice about that very matter," Link admitted.

Impa glanced from side to side, before nodding. "Very well, then. Follow me."

Impa led him the five steps away from where they had previously been standing to a room just off of the hallway. She threw open the door (It was an Impa thing; Link assumed she simply liked dramatic entrances) to her study.

"Don't mind the clutter," Impa stated as she gestured to one of the two chairs in front of her desk. Link took it silently, finding the stiffness to be quite good for keeping his focus.

"Choosing the champions has been difficult, but now we have an idea as to who to choose," Impa explained.

Link only then noticed the clutter that Impa had mentioned. Letters and scrolls were scattered all over her desk, all bearing the crests of various races. "You have backup options, correct?"

Impa snorted. "Backups for the backups for the backups, more like. This has not been an easy week for me, though the fact that you've drawn the sword is likely the reason His Highness rushed this."

"It's not as if anyone's been hiding it," Link mumbled, glancing at the hilt that poked up behind his shoulder.

"His Majesty probably decided to keep it quiet," Impa suggested. "I'm sure there are rumors - I heard some myself, but doubted them until I saw you. He most likely intends to announce it publicly, with a festival or feast of some sort."

Wonderful. More publicity. Link hated people gawking at him and praising him for things he really wasn't. _After all,_ Link thought, ensuring his mind was sufficiently blocked from Impa, _I'm useless when it comes to anything other than wacking something with a metal stick._

"So," Impa continued, "what exactly is it that you seek to ask me?"

Link drew in a deep breath, composing himself. _Well? spit it out already!_ "Since I drew the sword…" Link began slowly, "I have been hearing a… voice. It claims to be the sword, speaking to me, but I sought to come to you for advice."

Impa held a hand to her chin thoughtfully, her face void of any sort of emotion. "Can anyone else hear this voice?"

"Not that I know of," Link replied, his voice quiet. Was that bad? Was there… Link suppressed a shiver and forced away the last thought before it made its whole way into his mind. _Don't even_ think _about that._

Impa leaned on her desk, resting her elbow on the smooth wood, her hands clasped before her. "I have heard stories of a spirit that resides within the sword. However, they are ancient, and only known to a few of us Sheikah."

Link leaned forward a bit, interested, but not showing all of it. That is what Impa had taught him, after all.

 _"Do not show emotion, unless it seems necessary to do so,"_ Impa had said. _"Even then, only the slightest bit. Your emotions and weaknesses, in the hands of your enemies, can be the very tools that drive you to your destruction. Mystery also results in fear, sometimes respect. That kind of fear can win a battle before it begins, so long as it is utilized to its fullest potential."_

"Are you getting stuck in the past again, Link?" Impa sighed.

"...No," Link lied, knowing full well that Impa knew he was, as per usual, getting stuck in the past.

"Anyway," Impa continued as if Link had not responded, "this sword spirit is said to have been in existence since the time of the sword's creation. However, it is also said that it was sealed away within the blade."

"Why would they seal the spirit of the _Master Sword_?" Link questioned.

"The stories claim that the spirit was sealed in order to keep a great and ancient evil contained," Impa said. "However, it has been hundreds of thousands of years since then, and this ancient evil could be long gone."

 _"Master Link,"_ The sword interjected. Link jerked his head towards the hilt of the sword.

"Is it speaking?"

Link nodded, tearing his eyes away.

"Can you communicate with it through your mind?" Impa questioned.

"I believe so," Link said. Well, it _did_ read his thoughts. However, it seemed to react more to the ones thought directly _at_ it.

"Good," Impa said blankly, stretching out her arms and cracking her knuckles. "Keep it talking… and it would be to your benefit to close your eyes."

Link did not feel very good about this. If Impa cracked her knuckles, she meant _business_.

However, he _really_ wanted to figure out what was happening to him. He closed his eyes hesitantly. _So… I have to keep you talking… uh…. Sword._

 _"If you prefer, Master Link, the name that Her Grace gave to me is 'Fi.'"_

 _'Her Grace?'_

 _"My creator, the goddess Hylia."_ Fi replied nonchalantly.

Link let out a small noise. _HYLIA?!_

"You can open your eyes, now," Impa said.

Link gladly did so, relieved.

"There _is_ a voice coming from the sword," Impa stated, "as indicated by an aura and sound waves. However, despite that, it seems that you are the _only_ one capable of hearing it.

"So I'm not going insane?"

Impa looked at him with the most serious face he had ever seen. "You and I both know that that wasn't what you were worried about."

Link managed to keep composed, but had to look away from Impa's eyes, instead examining the dark red, deep green, and shining gold rug that Impa's mentor had made for her. The hand threaded design danced across the border in golden thread, each exact copies of the previous loop. None was larger than the other, nor smaller. They were all equal.

Link wondered how much effort went into that rug. How much time? He had seen Dame Rala before her passing, and she had been a very busy woman, what with being the royal advisor to the throne, charged with the excavation of the Divine Beasts and the guardians, _and_ being one of the leaders of the Sheikah. The old Sheikah had most definitely cared deeply for her apprentice.

"Why must your head always be in the clouds?" Impa barked.

Link jolted and sat up straightly, keeping his face stoically blank.

"I apologize, Dame Impa."

" _Lady_ Impa," Impa corrected. "With all the eyes on you now, it is important to use the... 'correct' title."

"I apologize, Lady Impa," Link said, correcting himself.

"Better. Now that you're here, we might as well run over a few techniques," Impa stated. "It may also be to your benefit to get to know the sword."

"'Get to know?'"

"You are asking a great many questions lately," Impa said suspiciously.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Link questioned.

Impa laughed dryly."Usually you would wait so that you could silently observe and see for yourself. Is there something wrong?"

Link quickly shook his head.

"Words, Link."

"No, of course not, Da- _Lady_ Impa."

* * *

 **Keeping secrets? Telling LIES?! Come ON Link, I thought you had higher standards than that!**

 **To those of you who read the previous draft of this story, yes, there _is_ going to be a more complicated backstory for Link here. There are more things that I'm including, and it'll be more detailed. So look forward to that!**

 **I have been doing this for a while, but I have not mentioned this. "What is this, Ari?" I'm SO glad you asked. See, I have a ONE WEEK time limit between updates. Today, the date of the update, is a week after the previous. I MIGHT post earlier, but ONE WEEK LIMIT at MAXIMUM. You're welcome. I've been procrastinating on a LOT of homework assignments for you guys, so be grateful!**

 **HAHAHA I'm not STRESSED! What makes you say THAT?!**

 **Ignore that. I'm just going insane, is all.**

 **REPLIES! (Secret review word/phrase is... Impa. Because she's kickbutt, is why!)**

 **bladeofthebookworms: YE- I mean... no? Okay, YES. I also made his surname Hawkin or whatever. I should've done Rooster or something, but Hawkin was more subtle. But it's still a bird! GOLD STAR FOR YOU! I'm so glad you liked it! I went through it like, five thousand times... oh, wait, I said five HUNDRED thousand on the last Author's Note. So... THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! :D**

 **Green Swordsman: Why thank you! I like to do rewrites, because I can look at the past one and say, "Hey, that one is crappy here, here, and here, but is actually kind of cool here, here, and here!" Then you take out the bad, replace it with MORE good stuff, yada yada... Yeah, there was a LOT more work put into this one! I want to make sure it's GOOD, so I don't have to rewrite the rewrite! Because that would just be over doing it (XD). Fi is a good doggo. The surname for Link actually translates to a different word than the one I put in, but I'm NOT telling anyone what the original one, because THEN you'd be laughing (actually, maybe if you asked nicely, then I'd tell you. I'm a bit of a pushover like that (XD))! OH, Catseye?! I was wondering if this was a new person or a silent person or something, but thank you for clarifying! Everyone ALWAYS steals the best usernames! Except no one stole mine, because it's the BEST one. I DID draw it! I drew it off of a reference, though, so I kind of cheated (XD). I'm glad you like it!**

 **MeaninglessMayhem: I COMPLETELY agree! This one is definitely an improvement! Fi is a good doggo.**

 **AddyBOTWfan13: Thank you! I'm glad you like it! I put a LOT of work into it to get it to come out nicely. Bladeofthebookworms was actually the only one that found the easter egg, and it WAS quite subtle. Actually, Link's last name when put through the translate again comes out differently than what I put in originally. No, I am not telling you what the original one was, because THEN you'd be laughing. BENJAMIN, though? REALLY? Okay, I'm going to start laughing at that one, now. I will do my best to keep this good! Thanks again!**

 **EggGrace - That'sMe: *Gasp* Really? Thank you! I'm so glad you like it! You know, this whole actually publishing fan fics thing is a real confidence booster because of all of you nice readers! You aren't being weird at all - if anyone's weird, that would be me. I am _exceptionally_ good at being insane. Once again, thank you! :D**

 **You guys are all so nice to me! I used to hate the way I wrote, but now that you guys are here telling me how great this is, I feel way more motivated in writing than I ever have before! I feel more like I have to put in my best, and I feel more obliged to work harder! So thank you! You guys are great! :3**

 **Most sincerely (Guys, I LEGIT mean it),**

 **Ari**


	4. Chapter 3: Gales and Graves

_**Chapter 3: Gales and Graves**_

Revali panted heavily from his kneeling position on the ground, holding out his shaking wings to steady himself. He watched his breath emerge from his beak in a white cloud before evaporating into the cold air of the flight range.

 _This time. This time... it_ will _work._

He felt the chilling touch of wind around him, and focused as hard as he possibly could.

"Fierté du père." Revali whispered. It was phrase his father had often said. It was part of the ancient Rito language, which was seldom used.

 _"It means 'Father's pride,'"_ The Rito warrior had told him. _"And I know that you are, perhaps even more so, worthy of it, my son."_

Revali thrusted his wings out and felt a powerful gust from beneath him.

He gave one strong flap of his wings and launched himself upward. He managed to glide steadily on the whirlwind. _It's working!_

Then he, very slightly, caught the edge of the gust. It instantly caught his wings, spinning him for what seemed ages, before spitting him onto the ground, knocking out his breath.

When the shock had subsided, he panted heavily to regain his lost breath, curling his limbs inward. _I was so close… So close!_

Slowly, he forced himself upward.

"Not…" He panted, "Not enough... I must… stay in the eye of the whirlwind… must… push myself… _harder_..."

That was when he heard a whinny from behind him.

Revali jerked his head towards the sound, only to see the beautiful Hylian princess, wrapped in white furs, and an escort of two knights, both keeping their steeds in place.

"You know, Your Highness," Revali grunted as he pushed himself to his talons. "it's rude to eavesdrop."

Revali steadied himself on his talons, slowing his breaths.

"My apologies," The princess's voice replied calmly from behind. "I went to the village, and I was told I could find you here."

Revali drew in one more deep breath, before grinning. "You have need of me," He said, remembering the letter he had received a mere few days earlier. He turned towards the princess. "To defeat Calamity Ganon. To slay the beast, once and for all!" He eyed the princess with his left eye. "It will be my great pleasure."

The princess smiled, her nose and cheeks rosy from the cold. "Thank you, Revali." She held a hand to her chest. "If we work together, I am certain we'll be able to defeat-"

"However!" Revali interrupted. The princess tilted her head slightly at him, eyes glistening with confusion.

Revali turned and kneeled.

Wind swirled under his talons, and Revali shot upwards, into the sky. He drifted on the gale, rising steadily above the ground. At one point, he leaned a bit too far to the right and swerved, but _this_ time he managed to regain control.

He sought out all of the targets in the Flight Range before diving downward, drawing his bow, and shooting five bomb arrows at once, each hitting a different target right in the center.

He repeated the process once again, and high above explosions could be seen all over the range, barely a second between each, sometimes less.

Revali then swooped and perched upon the fence of a platform. He stood up, balancing easily upon the railing, and held a wing to his chest. "I know I play the biggest part in helping that…" Revali coughed, making his disdain known. "That little knight with the darkness sealing sword. Correct?"

Revali rested his wing on his hip, the other clutching the bow firmly. "Well, if he loses his confidence after seeing me in action…" Revali stood up straight, puffing out his chest, his beak curled into a smirk. "...don't come crying to me."

* * *

 _This is so weird_ , Link thought, glancing up at the lowering sun in the evening sky.

Link had come to Zora's Domain before, of course. A few times, as a matter of fact. However, this time was… strange. Instead of being the one to follow, he was the one _leading_ the escorts. _He_ was the one being _escorted_.

His Highness had tasked Link to deliver a letter to Princess Mipha in person, as Royalty was to make their visits known ahead of time. Apparently he was the best option due to his 'good relations with the Zora.' It would also help with the publicity of the new 'hero.' The king had announced the drawing of the sword a mere few days ago, and already Link was getting far more looks than usual, people pointing and watching his every move. After what Impa had taught him, he knew that now it was more important than _ever_ to remain silent.

 _"Sheikah like myself tend to stay silent unless the situation calls for it. Silence, like blankness of emotion, can aid in gaining respect from your allies and instilling fear in your enemies. It is your shield..."_ ...Or something like that. Link wasn't entirely sure.

He entered Zora's Domain atop Epona, attempting to ignore the knights that rode behind him. According to Impa, the king had thought it would be better to send Link on his own, in order to demonstrate that Link was completely capable on his own. However, all messengers, whether temporary or 'heroes,' were _required_ to have an escort, preferably two knights.

 _Whoopee_.

 _"The word you are using does not match the emotions you feel, Master Link,"_ Fi observed.

 _Sure it does!_

 _"The expression 'whoopee' is used to express wild excitement or joy. You currently feel neither of the previously stated emotions."_

Link did not reply, instead turning to the knights. "Have you both been here before?" It was strange, being the one to ask the questions and give the orders. Especially since both of the knights were older than him. Link had never been in this position, and thought that he certainly did _not_ belong in it.

One barked "Yes, Sir," while the other shook his head.

Link looked the first dead in the eye. "Do get him up to speed."

"Yes, Sir," he repeated.

Impa, knowing full well of his lack of confidence (whether from knowing him well or from _vidensia_ was not made known to him) had helped him with speaking properly as one of higher rank. Fortunately, he still didn't have to talk... _too_ much.

Link nearly went to the horses reins to take them to the stables, before remembering that the _escorts_ were the ones who did that. The messenger always _waited_. "The stables are over that way." Link nodded towards the left. A stable for horses was built just outside the domain's main bridge entrance. The Zoras would have put it within the domain, but they didn't want an escaped, wild horse running amuck, ramming into a walls and causing damage to the glowing domain.

Well, that's what the Zora told travelers. However, Princess Mipha had told him when he was younger that their volunteers on cleaning duty didn't want to deal with scrubbing up... _horse biscuits_ from the ground.

The two knights returned from the stables after mere moments, both looking at Link with what seemed newfound awe.

"That horse of yours is a wild one, Hero," The first said, his mere tone showing his surprise. "You seemed to have no trouble with it at all."

"She's just like that around unfamiliars," Link said blankly, waving off the statement. "Now," Link began before the knights could reply. "We have a message to deliver."

"Yes, Sir."

So they entered the domain, across the main bridge. Link dipped his head to the Zora guards and greeted them formally, but he could tell that their eyes were drifting to the sword on his back and the clothing he wore, marking him as a Royal Guard.

Link missed the days that he could get away with wearing the ordinary soldier's armor. He had had to wear the Royal Guard insignia somewhere, but other than that, he hadn't stood out. He had been just like every other soldier.

But what with being the 'hero,' he wasn't going to get away with things so easily anymore. At least he wasn't wearing anything _too_ flashy - besides the sword, of course. Royal Guards sometimes delivered messages and went on missions to kill stuff - or something like that - so it wasn't strange to see one at the domain. Only those that looked closely would recognize the sword on his back.

It wasn't long before they made it to the large throne room. King Dorephan, tall and with a strong figure, was sitting upon it. The throne was so large, the giant Zora seemed a mere _third_ the size of who would usually sit there.

"Greetings, Sir Link," King Dorephan said in a deep, rumbling voice. Link bowed slightly. "I have heard rumors of the drawing of the sword, but I had _not_ expected it to have been you!" The Zora king chuckled. "Though now that I think about it, I'm not exactly surprised!"

 _Unlike everyone else… myself included_ , Link thought. Instead, Link nodded silently.

Then he realized that he should speak. "I have been sent on behalf of King Rhoam to deliver a letter to Princess Mipha," Link said, keeping his voice formal and firm. Fortunately, it seemed none of his fear or anxiety came through. _Blank. Just how Impa taught me._

Link pulled the letter out of his pouch. It was sealed with the insignia of Hyrule's Royal Family.

King Dorephan stood up from his oversized throne and walked down the steps, to Link. The knight in question could feel the two escorts gaping at him from behind.

The Zora king stood at least twice Link's height. He bent down, still taller than Link, and held out his hand.

A silent exchange passed between them - in more ways than one. For one, Link dropped the letter into the king's hand. For two, their eyes met, and the king winked.

Link feared for his life. When any sort of leader or royalty winked at you, then there was _something_ about to happen.

"I will deliver this to Princess Mipha," The Zora king said with a nod before returning to his throne. "In the meantime, feel free to rest before departure in the morning."

Link nodded and bowed again. "Thank you, Your Majesty." Link knew exactly where the inn was. Luckily, they had a few Hylian rooms with actual, feather beds at the moment. Unluckily, there were only two, both of which had three beds each. Therefore, Link had to share a room with the two escorts.

Yet maybe that was a blessing at the same time. It would make Link seem less "High and mighty," but that could also be _bad_ at the same time.

 _Why can't I figure this out?_ He groaned (internally). Did he want his own comfort and less attention, or to seem strong? Being of high rank was complicated. Why did he - of _all_ people - have to draw the sword?

Link sat down on the bed, ignoring the other knights. _Other knights…_ Link thought longingly. _Why can't I just be an ordinary knight again? I'm not worthy of… this. I'm not competent enough or capable enough for this!_

 _"You are the most capable for the job, Master Link,"_ Fi spoke emotionlessly from the back of his mind.

 _Sure_. Link had quickly learned that Fi had very high expectations of him - just like everyone else. She (or at least, what Link _thought_ was a she) seemed to hold him in the most _esteemed_ light.

 _"Any other would be placed under a_ high _amount of stress, Master."_

 _I'm quite positive that I am more stressed than 'a high amount,' Fi._

 _"Any other would, according to my calculations, have a 64 percent chance of having an outburst within any ordinary conversation, due to the high levels of stress."_

 _So what you're trying to say,_ Link began _, is that I cope with the stress_ better _?_

 _"Affirmative, Master Link. Or at the very least, from basing my calculations on my experiences with human stress levels - as well as information given to me by my creator and past wielders."_

 _If you say so._ Link was sure that Liari or Purah would know more about how stress worked. It probably had to do with _hormones_ or something. Link _would_ try to figure it out, but he wasn't exactly _smart_ enough for that sort of thing.

Meanwhile, the sword was contemplating her Master's state of mind. If she wanted to pull him out of this strange downward spiral, of which she had seen the likes of before, she would have to do so soon, before her master dug his own grave.

Fi had a lot of work ahead of her.

* * *

 **Like many other chapters, the formatting got completely erased (it's becoming quite normal). Hopefully it'll stop doing that someday. But for now, keep an eye out for things that should be italicized! That includes thoughts, as well as words with extra emphasis. Maybe some people don't really care, but I do! Because I'm a gosh darn perfectionist!**

 **I also finished reading a book this week, which is tips for aspiring fiction writers. Some doesn't apply to this, but there was some useful information about flow of a story and characterization! And, of course, if I end up writing (and finishing) an original novel, it will certainly help. Anyway, hopefully that will help with this story!**

 **Don't google translate** **"Fierté du père," please. It's stupid. But knowing all of you, you'll do it anyway, so I'll just tell you. Surprisingly enough, it means exactly what Revali said it meant - in French. It made sense, but I am also being lazy. I could've said the phrase "tengo un gato en mis pantalones" - Go ahead and google translate it (it's more stupid than the one I went with) - for crying out loud!**

 **What else? Oh! ANY CRITICISM IS COMPLETELY WELCOME! Please do critique me on what could be improved - I will do my best to fix it! From the smallest grammatical error to an extreme flow shift! Do not hesitate to tell me what could be fixed! I am grateful for any sort of help to make this the best I can!**

 **Oh, and also (This is a long author's note, isn't it?), due to my obsessive writing schedule (I've already written a chapter and a half after this one), I can ask you if there's a specific day of the week you'd prefer me to update! Mondays (Currently my schedule), so you can relax after a frustrating... well, _Monday_? Or maybe you prefer Fridays, because you have free time! Or maybe you couldn't care _less_ when I update, so long as I keep writing! It's up to you, my dearest readers (Gosh, _that's_ not a creepy way to phrase it or anything)!**

 **REPLIES! (Secret review phrase: Dehydration (I went with a random word; Just go with it)**

 ** _MeaninglessMayhem_ : SO much fun! Ugh, I _love_ Fi. It's so much fun making her knowledgable, yet completely oblivious at the same time. Heh.**

 ** _AddyBOTWfan13_ : So would I. As funny as it would be to see mind readers react to my overactive imagination, I want to copyright my ideas first, gosh darn it! I thought including Fi would add a bit of spice. You know, a bit of originality compared to the MANY other pre-BoTW fan fictions. That, and it's just _fun_ to annoy Link with her blunt delivery of information, as well as her wonderful oblivion. Wait, if you're going to DIE during the wait... then... what's the point of this reply? Everything I've done up until now... it was all for nothing? (Don't mind my shenanigans; I'm a weirdo)**

 ** _aso083_ : I agree! I think some background information is beneficial to the flow of the story! That, and now I can include the champions some more, what with the DLC cutscenes. I'm hoping to add some more details to make this more interesting! About Link's last name... uh... well... you see, the word I put in was "horseman." DoN't LaUgH aT mEh! I now realize that using the word "rider" would've probably been better, anyway, though, so let's pretend that THAT was the original word. Secret review phrase! Yippee! Gold star for you!**

 **RoseyMirror (on chapter 2, but I'm too tired right now to PM or anything like that): Fi is a good doggo! Very, very good doggo. Oh, thanks! :D**

 ** _RoseyMirror (On the last chapter/2.0)_ : Hey, I need a reason for him to bug Impa! Fi is so much fun to write. Wait, I put ZELDA in the last chapter?! *Speedily checks* Oh, YEAH! I'm kind of doing a lot of Link's PoV right now, aren't I? She barely has a paragraph! But later on I'll be sure to put Zellie in there, more. She needs some spotlight, too! Can't use it all on Link (as fun- I mean, as _easy_ as it is to torture him). I think that I did a secret review phrase last chapter, actually. And you used it in your review, too. IT'S THERE... SOMEWHERE! I'm still doing it! Oh, don't worry; Epona will be thrown into the chaos that is this story at SOME point. Actually, I included her a little in next chapter- Uh, I mean, she'll be around! I didn't spoil! (Gosh, Ari, why do you ruin _everything_?)**

 ** _notaname (sure it is!)_ : That is how my brain works! It turns months of work completely upside down, half the time! Paragraphs? Hmm... yeah, I guess I _do_ write choppy paragraphs. *Gasp* is that why my page count has been going up?! It's a lie! The newfound lengths - it's all a LIE! *Scream* *clear throat* Anyway, I will try to lengthen paragraphs and string them together a bit more! If it doesn't happen, just remember that I tried! Sometimes my writing style is like, "Nu! You do not need to change! You are PERFECT!" And then the part of me that is _realistic_ argues that that's really _not_ true, and... well, in short, there's a lot of flying projectiles. I still have not managed to beat all the shrines, but I _did_ get the Twilight Princess outfit via amiibo! But that's not as fulfilling, is it? I mean, I had to scan it for a MONTH to get the full set, but that's a test of patience, not actually searching out for shrines, solving puzzles, and defeating crazed monks in battle (I think that happens; boss monk? Yes? No?). You did not waste my time! It's nice to hear from my readers! :D**

 ** _bladeofthebookworms_ : And a more complex backstory for Liari, and Impa, and the champions, and maybe Zellie, and maybe Purah... Eh, I'll figure it out. I can't tell you what he didn't want to think! IT'S A SECRET! I'm so glad you like it! MOTIVATION JUICES! Thank you! School can be a pain, can't it? It can go jump off a microwave. Best of luck to your own stories, as well! :D**

 **Thank you all, once again, for the wonderful feedback! Honestly, sometimes you guys are too nice to me! Now I should PROBABLY go to bed (I'm publishing this... sometime tomorrow due to weekly schedule), lest I become even more insane due to sleep deprivation. But first, I want to thank you all once again! I looked at some of my old fan fiction works (Never published; written a year ago), and I've really improved in writing! Seriously, I misspelled the STUPIDEST words, and made the most ridiculous grammatical mistakes! But I DID write 258 pages of work (all of the stories included), so I guess I was doing something right.**

 **So thank you all for the encouragement and suggestions! I've learned so much since I first published _Before_ (The old draft)!**

 **Sincerely (Guys, I'm being sincere! I mean it this time! No, really!),**

 **Ari**


	5. Chapter 4: Dampening Hopes

_**Chapter 4: Dampening Hopes**_

"Come with us. You'll be safe."

The voice came from a woman with an evil smile, a bloodied blade in one hand, the other offered towards him.

The boy shook his head quickly, fearfully, before turning to the his home.

The boy was too young to comprehend the fact that he should be running _away_ , as far as he could. He could only think of how home was safe. Home was where his mother would cook meals and his father would tuck him into bed, telling stories of heroes long ago.

He opened the door, and froze in place as he came upon the gruesome sight. Blood pooled on the floor, the bodies laying on the floor side by side. The evil men looked at him with vicious scarlet eyes, burning forever into the boy's mind.

" _You'll never escape."_

* * *

Link jolted awake, panting heavily. A splitting headache was making it _extremely_ difficult for him to focus. His eyesight was failing him, everything around him blurry and dark.

Words rocketed about in his mind, though he forced them, and any thoughts, out of his mind.

He drew a few deep, calming breaths to compose himself. _Don't think about it. Just breath. Focus on breathing…_

" _An external force seems to have interrupted your sleep,"_ Fi stated in the darkness.

 _Don't remind me…_ Link drew in another calming breath.

" _Your heart rate spiked during exposure,"_ Fi observed. " _I suggest-"_

 _That's enough, Fi!_ Link could already feel the calm he had found slipping away, his breathing once again quickening, shifting to a minor panic attack.

There was complete silence in the room besides the breathing of the two other knights… and Link's own panicked breaths, of course.

Link's vision became clearer after a few moments of blinking away the bleariness. The walls felt as if they were closing in. His eyes would not receive the moonlight filtering through the curtains, the darkness instead reminding him of the-

 _No!_ Link scolded himself, forcing himself to breath slower.

 _I need to get out of here._ Fresh air and the outdoors would jolt him out of the past. _I need out._ He stood, hastily making his way to the door, purposefully leaving the sword beside his bed.

" _Are you avoiding this topic for a specific purpose?"_ Fi asked, stopping Link in his tracks.

 _Yes._ Link replied, mentally groaning.

" _What is that specific purpose?"_

Link drew in a deep breath, not knowing how to respond.

" _Could it be that_ fear _inhibits your speaking capabilities about said topic?"_

 _I already told you that I_ don't _want to talk about it,_ Link thought firmly. He walked the final length between himself and the door, opening it as silently as possible.

The door swung out to the faintly illuminated Zora's Domain. Glowing stone was beneath his feet, on the walls, in the ceiling… Link remembered how awed he'd been as a child, when he'd first seen the domain at night.

"I must admit that I was not aware that you were here."

Link whirled around to the location of the voice, and there stood Princess Mipha, sitting down upon a nearby bench.

"Princess," Link greeted.

Mipha smiled gently. "You know that you don't have to call me that, Link."

 _I need_ something _normal, Mipha!_ Link's mind screamed. _Can't I at least address you by your title?_

Link decided that to actually voice those thoughts would be extremely rude.

At his silence, Princess Mipha stood up. "So what is it that brings you to the domain?" It was then that the Zora princess interrupted herself with a chuckle. "And in the Royal Guard's uniform, which I recall you… what was the word that you used?"

"Despise," Link said, deadpan.

"Ah, yes," Princess Mipha said, nodding.

"It is… quite a long story, Princess Mipha," Link said. He was especially glad that he had left the Master Sword inside - Princess Mipha would find out eventually, of course, but she didn't have to know _yet._

The Zora princess frowned slightly. "Is there something wrong?"

Link merely shook his head, forcing a small smile. If it was an injury, he would gladly tell her, but there were some wounds that couldn't be healed from the outside.

* * *

 _One week later..._

Mipha kneeled atop the waterfall, watching her young brother, Prince Sidon, play and splash about with his friends, far below.

She turned her gaze to the horizon. She could feel darkness brewing, like a stormy cloud before it finally bursts. This strange anxiety in her heart… she did not understand it.

Mipha had been alive for around fifty years, and though that was extremely young for a Zora, Mipha had learned much.

However, despite her knowledge, she could only guess that the darkness on the horizon was this "Calamity Ganon" that had been spoken of much in the past fifteen years.

She found it saddening that Link, and so many others, had to grow up with such a darkness. He had seen much shadow in his life so far, and had matured and grown to withstand horrors some people couldn't even fathom.

Mipha wondered if the man had felt a single moment of peace in his entire life. It brought her great sorrow to think that the one whom she had given her heart to was constantly suffering.

"Princess Mipha," A voice said from behind Mipha, pulling the Zora out of her stupor. Mipha turned her head, tightening her grip on her trident, before relaxing at the sight of the newcomer.

"Princess Zelda," Mipha greeted with a soft smile. Mipha had expected this visit since the letter, which had filled her in on the subject of this meeting.

"I apologize if I interrupted anything," Zelda said with an apologetic smile. "I was told I could find you here."

"Yes," Mipha said, turning back to face the sky. "It is one of my favorite places." _One can see the whole of the domain from here._

"It is quite beautiful," Zelda agreed, who had made her way to Mipha's side. "I expect you know what I'm here for?"

Mipha turned to Zelda and smiled. "The Divine Beast, Vah Ruta. You need someone to pilot it, and I am more than willing to do so."

Mipha felt that, had anyone else been chosen, she would've fought to pilot the beast herself. She had felt a… _connection_ to it from the first moment she saw it. She had felt that, if she did not do it, she would regret it forever.

Zelda smiled. "Thank you, Mipha."

Mipha tilted her head with a sincere smile. "It is my pleasure, Princess." Mipha stood and looked to Zelda curiously, clutching her trident tightly. "May I ask who the other chosen champions are?"

Zelda nodded. "The champion of Medoh is Revali of the Rito. He is the only one we've had the opportunity of reaching other than you as of now, and he accepted. The others planned are Lady Urbosa of the Gerudo, for Naboris, Daruk of the Goron, for Rudania, and…" Zelda trailed off.

Mipha was confused. Were there not _four_ Divine Beasts? Why, if there was a fifth, then it could only be the bearer of the sword that seals the darkness.

Mipha gasped softly in realization. "The sword has been drawn?"

Zelda gave Mipha a confused look. "I thought that you had been told."

"Why would that be so?" Mipha asked.

"My father…" Zelda began slowly, as if trying to phrase it properly. "My father sent him to deliver your letter. For publicity."

"I'm afraid that the messenger delivered it to King Dorephan, who then gave it to me," Mipha said with a slight shake of her head. "I did not have the opportunity to meet him."

Zelda sighed. "That defeats the purpose of publicity if he merely hid the whole time. However, if my memory serves me right, he has visited the domain many times before," The princess added helpfully.

"Perhaps I'll recognize the name," Mipha suggested.

Zelda looked thoughtful for a moment. "If I recall correctly, his name was… Sir Link Equitem."

Mipha sucked in a surprised breath. _No, I must be hearing wrong. The goddesses would not do such a thing to one that has already suffered so much._

"Have you met him, then?" Zelda asked.

Mipha hesitated. "I…"

"Mipha!" A voice echoed from the bottom of the waterfall.

Mipha looked down, and there was Sidon, looking up at her. She could see the colorful blurs that were his friends swimming away, answering the calls of their parents.

"Sidon! Do you want to come on up here?" Mipha called.

"Mipha, isn't he still too young to swim up this big waterfall?" Zelda inquired.

Mipha stepped forward before glancing at the princess. "One day, Princess… I must leave him," Mipha said softly. "To face my fate with Ruta." She smiled reassuringly, before proceeding to jump into the waterfall's stream of quick water.

She surfed downward with ease, from her years of experience, before diving to skip the last stretch with practiced grace.

She treaded water silently as she turned towards her brother, the pounding of the waterfall roaring and echoing around them.

"Join me," Mipha said with an inviting smile. Sidon paddled slowly towards her. "We'll go together so you can get a feel for it."

Sidon grabbed onto her back, holding tightly.

"Are you ready?" Mipha asked gently.

Sidon nodded, albeit nervously.

"Then let's go!"

* * *

Zelda watched in awe as Mipha swam up the waterfall as if it was no more than swimming down the stream of a slow moving river. The young Prince Sidon was grinning and laughing jovially. Mipha made it to the top in seconds, launching out and landing with cat-like grace.

Sidon released her hand and Mipha knelt down, touching her hand to his face. Zelda felt a bit uncomfortable, as this seemed like a personal interaction. "Sweet Sidon. Should fate ever part us, I'm counting on you to protect our beloved home from harm," Mipha said solemnly. "Can you do that for me?"

Sidon nodded slowly.

Mipha smiled sincerely. "I believe in you." The sadness vanished in an instant. "Now, shall we try one more time?"

Sidon grinned, revealing his sharp teeth, and nodded excitedly.

Mipha laughed, and Sidon joined along. However, in their joy, Zelda couldn't help feeling worried… Mipha had spoken as if… she _knew_ that darkness was approaching - that some shadowy outcome was upon them…

Zelda shook her head. She was overthinking things. She would want to ask her brother in case anything bad happened - after all, they _were_ going up against the _incarnation of evil._

But… if Zelda didn't unlock her powers… no death could be more certain.

* * *

 **I am so mad at myself right now. I had almost finished this whole reply, as well as the grammar check and such, but then I HAD to close out as I was changing tabs! Gosh darn it, Ari! Why do you always ruin everything?!**

 **So, if you notice any errors (I'm too lazy to go through it again, and I need to update the story _today_ ), please do point them out! I recall fixing a few sentences that didn't make sense and such, so, if you saw/see anything, please tell me!**

 **We've got some juicy details, in this chapter! And who agrees that baby Sidon is adorable? Nobody? Oh, come on! I know there are some Sidon fangirls out there!**

 **I think it's time to reveal what the original translation for Link's surname is. Are you ready for this EPIC-NESS?! Well... you'll have to work for it! First, you have to search "translate English to Latin" in your search engine. Enter the word "horseman." You're welcome.**

 **Sorry if your reply is shorter in this draft of the Author's Note. I'm being lazy about it. Anyway, onto the replies! (The secret review phrase is water. Are you seeing a theme yet with these Zora's Domain chapters?)**

 **bladeofthebookworms: It is truly a wonderful phrase. It is also one of the few Spanish phrases I know off the top of my head. But now I have Google translate, so... _soy un sandwich._ There we go! I can speak Spanish! MAGIC! I'm pretty sure that if I drew the Master Sword, I would look around, put it back, and walk away like nothing happened (XD). Thank you for your support!**

 **aso083:** **Hey! Do not underestimate the power of dehydration! It can kill you with heat stroke! ...This is totally some sort of new pokemon I just invented. ANYWAY, I'm getting off topic (as per usual). HEY! I can see you laughing! Don't judge the last names!**

 **AddyBOTWfan13: I actually like him, too! He's so cocky and infuriating that it's great! He has a well developed personality. I can see him helping an elderly woman across the street with his chest puffed out. He's not bad like most people think! He's just... prideful. To be fair, Fi **_was_ **in BoTW for a small bit of that last memory. I remember falling off the couch and screaming at my brother, and he was like "What the heck is wrong with you?" But then he saw it, too, and we both started theorizing things and nonsense. Good times. I still wish Fi played a bigger role, though. I'm so glad that you look forward to this! Wha- _no_ , that wasn't a Zelda quote. Obviously, Zelda was the one that quoted _me_. Duh. XD**

 **MeaninglessMayhem: ...I seriously want to do that, now. I'll have to see where I can fit it in. XD**

 **notaname (sure it is! ...wait... I made that joke last time): Secret review phrase can be used however you want! You can hide it in the review, you can state it - as that one saying goes, "Whatever floats your boat." I couldn't do a ton of stringing together in the last one because it was already finished when you wrote your review. However, I have been working on it in these later chapters! Weekends? Hmm... I'll see what I can do, but for now, it seems that Mondays have been working the best for me. We'll see what happens! The Zelda in Smash Ultimate is the princess from A Link Between Worlds/A Link to the Past... I think. I could be wrong. When they revealed Smash Ultimate (after the thirty second snipit trailer), I believe they said that yes, they chose the Zelda they used because the one from BoTW is not much of a fighter, what with being scholarly and all. I also think they didn't want to have to make a new move set, animations and all, that would actually fit BoTW Zelda. Like I said before, though, I could be wrong. I'm not an expert (XD). I hope you enjoy the future chapters!**

 **And that's everything! I thank you all for all of your support!**

 **Sincerely (Meh...),**

 **Ari**


	6. Chapter 5: Cynophobia

_**Chapter 5: Cynophobia**_

"You don't have to accept if that is not your wish. We can-"

"Ah, count me in, tiny princess!" Daruk interrupted with a wide grin. "I'm the fearless Daruk, after all! And if Hyrule needs my help, I'll gladly lay down my life." After all, he didn't want his dear Hylian friends to die. He didn't want the mountains to be destroyed, either.

"Thank you, Daruk," The tiny princess said with a grateful smile. Daruk nodded sheepishly.

"Not sure if it's Calamity Ganon's fault or _what_ ," Daruk began to add with slight concern, glancing momentarily at the knights who followed the princess, "but I hear monsters have been attacking people more than _ever_ lately. At times like these, you shouldn't leave the castle without a horde of mighty Gorons to watch your back." After all, they wouldn't want the _princess_ getting killed!

The princess's smile fell, and she looked down. "You sound like my father. He's going to - or at least, planning to - assign a knight to watch over me wherever I go..."

Daruk was unsure of how to respond. The princess needed to be safe. He didn't see what was wrong with that.

Then a noise jerked Daruk's attention away.

"They really are _all_ over the place, these days," Daruk sighed as he saw the bokoblins. "Huh?" He asked as the bokoblins ran - or, as they seemed to be doing, _chasing_ someone. "Is someone being attacked?"

Daruk huffed. "Cowards!" He turned his gaze to the princess. "Wait here, Princess."

Daruk rushed towards the bokoblins with great haste, pulling the Boulder Breaker from his back. With a mere few swings and pounds, the bokoblins were retreating fearfully.

"Hmph! Spineless little cuccos! No monster stands a _chance_ when fighting me, the almighty Daruk!" Daruk shouted after them. He then laughed heartily.

He heard the clanking knights from behind him and turned. The princess had approached, and was smiling with relief. Then something caught her attention. "Oh!"

She walked off, and kneeled towards something that Daruk couldn't see. "You're safe," She said, arms outstretched.

Then there was a bark, and a terrifying, fury animal leaped at the princess. Daruk trembled as the princess scratched the beast.

"It seems our friend here was the one being attacked." She said as she ruffled the monster's fur. "Precious boy." She turned to look at Daruk, wearing a wide smile. "You saved his life! Huh?"

Daruk's trembling intensified as the beast looked at him with its innocent, _lying_ eyes.

It then let out its ferocious bark.

Daruk collapsed to the ground, hands over his head, and willed his barrier to protect him.

* * *

The dog barked, tail wagging, before turning away and making its way home.

"Good riddance!" Daruk shouted after it. "...And stay safe!" He added quickly.

Daruk then turned to Zelda. "I'm sorry you had to see that side of me," He said, scratching his head sheepishly as he looked away, embarrassed. "As a kid, dogs always chased me. I still panic when I see one o' those critters."

 _I never imagined the great Daruk would have a weakness._ Zelda thought, chuckling to herself.

"So… tell me, Princess..." Daruk said slowly.

Zelda tilted her head with a smile. "Yes?"

"Calamity Ganon isn't… uh…" Daruk began with hesitation. He was looking straight ahead, face giving away his awkwardness. "...Some kind of _dog_ monster… " He then made eye contact with Zelda. "...is he?"

Zelda's mouth turned into an 'O,' her eyes wide. Then she began to chuckle.

Daruk joined in, albeit a bit awkwardly.

* * *

It was the middle of the night at Hyrule Castle. All was quiet and still, stars shining in the night sky. The kitchen staff had all long since gone to bed.

That was why it was the _perfect_ time for Link to cook something for himself. He knew that the kitchen had a great surplus of ingredients, too, and they wouldn't notice a missing few herbs and spices.

He pulled a small piece of meat from the strange Sheikah tech box - interestingly enough, it used energy to keep the inside cold. This way, meat and some fruits and vegetables could be stored for longer periods of time.

 _I wish I had one of those,_ Link thought as he placed the meat in the already sizzling pan atop the stove ( _Also_ powered by Sheikah technology. _Where have these been all my life?!_ Link thought enviously.). He also put a few herbs he had found - for extra flavoring - into the pan. When it was done, he would season it, and _voila_! Delicious dinner - er… _midnight snack._

"I wondered if I would find you here," A feminine voice mumbled.

Link jerked his head in the direction of the quiet noise.

There, in the doorway, was a girl. Her scarlet eyes and dirty blonde locks gave away her identity.

"Liari?"

The girl smiled and ran forward, throwing her arms around him. Link grunted slightly at the impact.

The girl pulled back and looked at him disapprovingly. "Where have you been? I haven't talked to you in _weeks_! Purah's been dumping a _lot_ of work on me, and moved me here to the castle- not that I'm mad, I can see you more often, or at least when you aren't running all over the place and killing stuff - but no one will tell me _why_ , and it's so _stressful_ and _infuriating_ and-"

"You're rambling," Link interjected when he saw this wasn't coming to an end.

Liari sighed. "Whatever. You're an extremely trusted knight and all, right?" Liari asked, before continuing before Link could respond. "Yeah, yeah, you're 'too young to be trusted with such things,' but I know you better than that!"

"That wasn't what I was going to say," Link argued. "I was _going_ to say that my food's done, so give me a second before you keep talking." Liari frowned at him as he moved the food onto a small plate.

"That's _all_ you made?" Liari asked, surprised. "You didn't use _all_ of the meat in the Cryonis Box?"

Oh, _that_ was what the weird Sheikah box was called! _Hey, better late than never._ "I'm not _that_ gluttonous," Link said, making his voice sound _quite_ offended, though he hadn't felt any offense at all since he was little. "...And I already had dinner a few hours ago."

Liari laughed. "You know, you should be getting your sleep, _strong warrior_!"

"I slept!" Link protested. "I just woke up about half an hour ago, and felt a bit hungry!"

Liari rolled her eyes. "Can I continue with my rant, now?"

Link nodded as he seasoned the meal.

The room was silent for a moment. "I guess I ran out of things to rant about. But you're acting… _weird_ , Link."

Link looked at her, confused. "How so?"

Liari looked thoughtful. "It just seems like… well, like something's _bothering_ you."

Link winced.

"I'm close, then!" Liari exclaimed triumphantly.

"No, no," Link said, quickly wiping his face clean of emotion. "I accidentally hit my hand on the counter! See?" He raised his hand and waved it in front of Liari's face, too quickly for her to see it.

Liari frowned. "You're a horrible liar."

Link shrugged. "At least I tried." He grabbed the fork and filled plate, before moving to the counter, where there were wooden stools the servants used on breaks. He heard Liari sit beside him as he began to eat.

"So… what's bothering you, then?" Liari asked.

The fork paused an inch from Link's mouth. "Well… have you heard the rumors?"

"Which ones?" Liari asked with a tilt of her head.

"Which ones do _you_ know about?" Link asked, before turning back to his food.

"Hmm… there's one about Purah being insane, but we already knew that," Liari chuckled. "There's another about a Rito who _murdered_ a Gerudo who stole something from her - what that is, I didn't hear. It turned out very messy. There's another about Sheikah being able to read minds-" Link chuckled there, "-And another about the Master Sword being drawn, though I haven't yet confirmed it - Link?"

Link had frozen completely. _I'm going to have to tell her._

"Hey, Link?" Liari asked, prodding his shoulder.

Link shook his thoughts away and looked right into Liari's scarlet eyes. "I… I have to show you something."

Liari did not respond, instead regarding him with a curious expression as he walked towards the Cryonis box. He knelt down to the left of it, scooped up the blue and gold scabbard, and returned to Liari after a mere moment.

She blinked once. Twice. Then she looked at him, confused. After another glance at the sword, however, her eyes grew wide in realization.

"You… you were the one chosen?" She asked slowly.

Link nodded, simply and silently.

Liari looked down at her hands, her brow furrowed.

 _She's probably wondering how desperate the goddess was._

" _I am 96 percent positive that your previous statement is false, Master Link."_

 _Sure, Fi. Su-_ Link was cut off when he saw Liari looking at him, wide eyed.

"It can _speak_?!" She gasped.

Now _Link_ was the one that was confused. "You can… _hear_ it?"

Liari nodded slowly.

" _There is a 72 percent probability that this Sheikah has been blessed with the gift of hearing."_

"Well she's not _deaf_ ," Link mumbled.

"No, Link," Liari said, shaking her head, her finger trailing down the scabbard with awe. _When did she stand up?_ "I think that the sword means _special_ hearing." She gave Link a meaningful look.

"Wha- _oh_." Now Link just felt _stupid_. _Well, to be fair, I_ am _._

" _That is a foolish line of thinking, Master Link,"_ Fi scolded.

"What?" Liari glanced between Link and the sword, confused.

"The sword can read my mind," Link said. _Unfortunately. Now I have too many mind reading friends._

"Is it capable of reading _other_ minds?" Liari asked curiously, prodding the scabbard, head tilted and red eyes shining.

" _I am only capable of seeing into the mind of my master. This is due to the eternal bond between the blade of evil's bane and the spirit of the hero."_

Link gave Liari a pleading look.

"Hey, don't look at me like that!" Liari laughed, raising her hands defensively. "I don't know anything about spiritual _bonds_."

Link sighed. "Well then, that's a subject to research. To the library?"

"To _bed_." Liari corrected. "You need your sleep, child."

"You can't call me a child! I'm older than you!"

Liari rolled her eyes. "Yet you act like a two year old." She had that look in her eyes that said, " _What on earth am I going to do with you?"_

Link merely sighed.

* * *

 **Warning: Author's Notes spoil for the chapter. That's why it's at the end. Read the chapter FIRST!**

 **Aaaand we have Liari! I'm hoping to give her a better character this time around, and in case you didn't notice, I have not given her any powers (as of now) in this story other than, as you read, the ability to understand the Master Sword. Just to spice things up a little, of course. I'm still working out how it makes sense myself, so for now the reasoning is that she has been blessed by the goddesses or something. If you have a better suggestion, I totally would not mind!**

 **I wonder if Daruk would react the same way to a poof ball of a puppy doggo. You know, like one of those dogs that look like freaking marshmallows? Those ones. Hmm... the world may never know.**

 **By the way, cynophobia is the fear of dogs. It seemed a fitting title for the chapter.**

 **I've noticed that I _really_ haven't been writing Zellie's PoV much. I guess it's just more fun to torture Link (XD). I'm working on putting her in some more. Next chapter (spoiler alert!) doesn't have any of Link's PoV, but somehow I still gave him the spotlight. You'll see what I mean next week. Goodness, I'm so tired right now that I just spelled week as "weak." Weak, amirite? (Sorry, that pun was _wea-_ I mean... lacking in strength.)**

 **I'm replaying Zelda BoTW right now. I just got to Rudania a day or so before publishing. Coincidence? I think NOT!**

 **ANYWAY, moving on. I'm sure you're all very tired of my rambling nonsense. As per usual, review! You catch a mistake? Put it in a review! Spot an obscure grammar error? Put it in a review! See an inconsistency in the plot or a character? Put it in a review! Want to tell me, "Hey, you don't completely suck at this, Ari?" Put it in a review! Hate this story so much that you'd rather stare at the sun for the next three hours? Put it in a- never mind. I'd rather you told me WHY first. THEN you can put it in a review.**

 **REPLIES! (This is going to be a fun one. Your secret review phrase is fire. Pretty _lit_ , right? (Haha why do I torture myself so?))**

 **MeaninglessMayhem : Oh my gosh, YES! I TOTALLY need to do that now!**

 **VengefulCam : I'm glad you enjoyed it! What was the last chapter about again? OH, right, right. Sometimes writing emotions can be difficult, and keeping the characters... well, _in character_ is sometimes more difficult than it seems. But I think I did good... maybe. I think that, when some people write about Mipha, they turn her into someone who is very shy, or someone who is too happy and optimistic. She doesn't seem much like either of those in the cutscenes. Baby Sidon is ADORABLE! ...Well played on the words, there. I applaud you. Thank you for your support! :D**

 **AddyBOTWfan13 : I'm glad you're excited! Don't worry, _you_ aren't crazy insert own crazed, twitching eyes. Angst is great. I always feel bad for Linky, because yes, I gave him a very angsty backstory. Poor guy. It's just so much fun to torture him (XD). Mipha is great! *Gasp* Shame on you for having favorites! (*cough* My favorite is probably Purah *cough*) I called it! Sidon fangirls EVERYWHERE! I'm glad you enjoyed last chapter! Hopefully I can make future chapters just as good. Don't worry, I've written far longer reviews (those poor authors XD). Thank you for your support! :D**

 **bladeofthebookworms : Hey, we can't _all_ be brave like Link. The world would get a little _too_ crazy. And yeah, I've got to get you attached to him before I kill him off at the end! ...Woops. Eh, everyone has played Breath of the Wild. They all know where this is going (XD)! Oh my gosh, I am never going to look at that cutscene the same ever again. BABY SHARK, doo dooo, do do do, BABY SHARK, doo dooo, do do do... sorry. I'm glad that the scene withheld SOME seriousness. Thank you for your support! I'm glad you liked it! :D**

 **notaname : It's all good! I've given fake news before, too. None of it comes to mind at the moment, but it's around here... somewhere. I'm pretty sure I have the memory of a goldfish... oh, apparently goldfish have a memory span of up to five months. There we go. I've given false news about goldfish having a five second memory (XD). I don't write the chapter on Monday. I write it throughout the week, polish it on Sunday night and Monday morning, then write the author's note when I'm finished with that stuff. And I actually write one chapter ahead as a just in case precaution. You never know when something's going to stop you from writing! I'm still working on the stringing. I've also realized that I need to work on being more descriptive, and explaining the time between places (if that makes sense). Oh my gosh, I want to put that guy in here now. Maybe I can put his ancestor in. Oh, the ideas! Why, with this power, I can take over the WORLD! Yeah, that is a pretty darn good reference. No reviewer is wasting my time! I'm probably wasting theirs, actually. Give Fi physical form, eh? Hmm... we'll see about that. ;)**

 **Once again, thank you all! It's so interesting to see how there are people all over the world reading this story. Why, there are people from the USA to Sweden! I hope that you enjoy this story!**

 **Once again, leave a review! Any feedback would be WONDERFUL! :D**

 **Sincerely (Might be true, might not - I got tired of coming up with new words to put here),**

 **Ari**


	7. Chapter 6: Lost in the Past

**_Chapter 6: Lost in the Past_**

Zelda bowed slightly before the throne of the Gerudo chief.

"Introducing Zelda Bosphoramous, Princess of Hyrule and messenger on behalf of the King of Hyrule," the Gerudo escorting her announced.

"Permission to speak, Chief Urbosa?" Zelda asked.

"Permission granted," Urbosa said with a faint smile.

"I have come to personally ask you if you would be willing to take up the task of piloting Divine Beast Vah Naboris," Zelda said, keeping her voice very formal. She could see Urbosa was internally laughing. "If you are unwilling or unable to do so, we have others that we can ask."

Her advisor seemed to be about to, well, _advise_ , but Urbosa raised her hand to silence the woman. Zelda and Urbosa both knew the answer. "Princess of Hyrule, I accept your proposition without hesitation."

 _You didn't let your advisor speak just so that you could say you accepted without hesitation_ , Zelda thought, chuckling inwardly.

"Not only are they planning to resurrect Calamity Ganon," Urbosa continued as the advisor looked about to argue, "It seems the Yiga Clan is after our treasured heirloom." Urbosa sent a pointed glance to the Thunder Helm. _It renders the wearer completely invincible to electricity_ , Zelda noted. _I wonder why?_ She doubted that the Gerudo would let her study the helm, but it was still interesting to think about.

Urbosa's eyes were brought back to Zelda. "You have my word. I won't rest until the Calamity falls."

"Gerudo Chief Urbosa," Zelda began, just as formally. "On behalf of Hyrule and its king, I thank you." Zelda bowed once again.

* * *

Laughter rang outside the walls of the Gerudo Town.

"I've never seen you so serious, Urbosa," Zelda chuckled.

"Oh my," Urbosa said, chuckling herself. "I can't say the same. Ten years ago, you rarely smiled, Princess."

Zelda frowned slightly and looked down. "It was… a difficult time."

"I know." Urbosa said, laying a hand on Zelda's shoulder. "It still is. But your days will become brighter soon, my little bird."

Zelda smiled softly. Urbosa always knew what to say to make her feel better. Then her face fell once again. "The days will be bright with the champions here."

"You envy the hero." It was not a question.

Zelda looked down in shame. "He achieved more than I have in a single day. Everyone who meets him admires his skill and strength. They all have more respect for him more than they will ever for me."

"That's a lie," Urbosa said. "You are just as respected as that boy. I guarantee that, if you look a little closer, you'll learn things aren't always as they seem, little bird."

"Little bird…" Zelda repeated quietly. "I feel as if you've called me that before. Where did you get that name?"

No reply. Zelda looked to Urbosa, only to find that she was no longer beside Zelda, instead a few feet behind, hand on the hilt of her blade.

"Halt, and face me." Urbosa's voice was threatening. Zelda, confused, looked to where Urbosa was speaking.

Two, completely ordinary travelers. _What_? Zelda was extremely puzzled.

The travelers turned toward Urbosa.

"Unlike you traitors, I prefer to face my enemies head on." _What does she mean?_

The two travelers exchanged a glance.

Urbosa drew her blade and whirled around. "Do your worst."

The travelers ran towards Urbosa in a flash of cards. Their previous appearances were replaced by that of maroon bodysuits and white masks, an inverted Sheikah symbol painted on. _Yiga_! Zelda gasped.

Urbosa dodged the blows of the first with ease, dancing out of the way as if it was a traditional Gerudo dance. She parried the next blow using her shield with such strength that the first was unbalanced, leaving an opening for her to knock the first Yiga to the ground.

However, leaping up from behind the Gerudo chief was the other. "Urbosa!"

Urbosa raised her hand and snapped her fingers together, a loud crack in the night. Lightning flashed down from the sky, striking the Yiga from the air.

"Out of respect for our princess, you may keep your lives," Urbosa called firmly. "Now _go_."

The two Yiga limped away before vanishing, once more, in a flash of cards.

Urbosa, satisfied, sheathed her blade. "You asked me why I call you 'little bird.'"

Zelda blinked, surprised. She had thought Urbosa hadn't heard her, too busy watching the Yiga out of the corner of her eye.

"When you were but a small child," Urbosa said, turning and walking back to Zelda, "my dear friend called you that, with the sweetest smile that graced our land of Hyrule." Urbosa looked up to the stars with a bittersweet smile.

It took Zelda a moment to figure out what Urbosa meant. "You mean Mother," Zelda breathed, feeling the corners of her eyes sting.

"It was ten long years ago," Urbosa said, her eyes now trained on the full, milky white moon. "Your mother had just left this world, yet her little bird still spread her wings and became the beacon of light Hyrule needed."

Urbosa's eyes were distant for a moment, memories of an age gone by swirling through her mind. "Sometimes I forget myself," Urbosa chuckled, "and get lost in the past."

Zelda felt the tears in her eyes, and had hoped they remained hidden in the darkness. However, Urbosa knew. _She always knows_. Urbosa turned to Zelda, closed the remaining space, and gathered Zelda into her arms.

"It's okay to cry," Urbosa said softly. "Even the strongest of people have their moments of weakness."

Like the breaking of a dam, the tears flowed out, Urbosa holding Zelda tightly all the while.

* * *

Impa made her way through the empty halls of the castle, before turning into the open library, what with its walls upon walls of knowledge.

She had expected to find Liari there. The girl had not been showing up to lessons as often, and Impa desired to know why,

Impa made her way up the stairs into an alcove of the library, looking for Liari's favorite secluded corner.

She _did_ find Liari. The girl was sitting in her favorite armchair, pouring over a book. What surprised Impa, however, was who she was with.

On the floor, reading with just as much dedication, was none other than Link. He did not look his best. Dark bags had grown beneath his eyes, most likely from lack of sleep. Rather than a soldier's uniform, he wore what appeared an old, comfortable tunic.

Just as surprising was the sword that lay on the ground before them, unsheathed and lying beside the scabbard.

"Fi, can you identify the credibility of this book?" Liari asked.

The sword gave a soft chime.

"So not that one," Liari mused, setting the book aside. "Got it."

Impa cleared her throat. Liari jumped, but Link looked up, exhaustion clear in his eyes.

"Impa! I didn't see you there!" Liari exclaimed.

"Hullo… Impa…" Link yawned. _Surprising_. Link would normally hold in a yawn until no one was watching.

"They've been getting worse, haven't they?" Impa observed. _Why else would Link be exhausted_? Well, there were several possible reasons. Link could've been pushing himself too hard again. He could have stayed up late cooking some strange meal. He could have stayed up on some random adventure climbing a cliff face or something. And, of course, the reason they were reading books on dreams - more specifically, dream _prevention_.

Liari nodded, and Link nodded _off_ \- before quickly forcing himself awake, of course.

"Well, nightmares or no, Link can't keep this up forever," Impa said. "He's a hindrance to _himself_ like this." Impa turned to Link. "I _order_ you to get some…"

Link fell over with a loud snore.

"...sleep."

"Well… that simplifies things." Liari mumbled.

"Indeed," Impa said, now deeply concerned. "How many nights has he kept himself from sleeping?"

"I don't know," Liari admitted.

That was extremely worrying. "But for how long has it been affecting him?" Impa asked.

Liari shrugged. "I've only known for a week, and he was already looking… not so good, then."

That wasn't good either. "And how did you convince him to let you help him?" Link was extremely independent, and rarely-

"I asked if I could, and he agreed," Liari said simply.

-agreed to have others help him out of stoicism. "Dear Hylia," Impa breathed. She normally had to _drag_ him to those that would aid him. This was not characteristic of him. "We have much work ahead of us." She turned her eyes back to Liari. "His Majesty wishes for him to make public appearances, and I do not see the benefit of parading him around in this condition.

"...I may have to do some research back at Kakariko," Impa continued. "You could accompany me, of course," she added.

"Okay," Liari said aloud, sounding a bit doubtful. "Can you help me find some more books _here_? I can only think of dream prevention to keep the nightmares at bay, but it seems that it isn't effective at all for this particular situation."

Impa tapped her chin thoughtfully. "There is likely a spell used to prevent external forces in sleep."

Liari rolled her eyes. _You have gotten far too sassy, child_. "I can't _find_ anything," Liari said, exasperated. "This is Hyrule Castle's library, not Kakariko's. It's all medicinal potions to prevent dreams, cause sleep, the lot. They don't even think that magical spells _exist_."

Impa grinned inwardly, though maintained a blank front. "You clearly have much to learn about Hyrule Castle. Everyone knows that I have the library of Sheikah spells and artifacts in my office."

Liari stared at her for a moment, before glaring. "You are _so_ infuriating sometimes."

"Not nearly as infuriating as you can be, I assure you," Impa replied.

At that moment, movement drew the pair of Sheikah eyes to the floor. Link's breathing was quickening.

Impa sighed and kneeled on the floor before nudging Link's shoulders. "Link."

Impa felt his pulse. It was also increasing in speed. "Link, I need you to wake up." Impa said, maintaining a calm front.

Link jolted awake, gasping for breath, his eyes wide and wild. He glanced between Impa and Liari for a moment, before his eyes rested on Impa. After his breathing slowed, he spoke. "When'd you get here?"

Impa raised an eyebrow.

Link cleared his throat. "When did you arrive, Dame Impa?" He inserted instead, his voice cracking.

"Lady," Impa corrected. She didn't want to correct him now, of all times, but she knew that he would become suspicious if she didn't treat him normally. To him, this was normal. "I arrived earlier, before you fell asleep."

 _"That's weird,"_ Link thought, drifting to Impa's well trained ears. _"Why isn't she berating me for falling asleep, then?"_

 _Idiot_. "You are sleep deprived in the extreme," Impa replied. It wasn't strange for her to reply to thoughts, though she tended to be more careful about doing it in front of those that were not aware of mind reading. "I was about to order you to go to sleep when you passed out in the middle of my sentence."

"Oh," Link said, confused and still looking exhausted. "Okay." _"So I'll be punished_ later _."_

"You really need to work on your mental blocks," Impa said, rolling her eyes. Link merely blinked at her.

"Can you tell us what you see and hear in there? It would help us help you if you actually let us know." Liari huffed.

Link looked at her absently. "No, thank you." His eyes flicked towards Impa, sharp as always - _despite_ being sleep deprived. _"I know full well that you already know."_

Impa winced inwardly. How did he figure that out? She should've known to be more careful. Link was far too observant not to notice the most subtle of things.

"Come on, Link," Liari said, completely oblivious to what Link had implied. "You can tell us."

 _"I don't want to be treated like a child, so no, I won't tell you, thank you very much. I can deal with it myself."_

"You should not think so rudely, Link," Impa scolded.

"It's not…rude," Link mumbled, his eyes drooping. Impa felt a sharp pain in her own mind as horrible images flashed from the boy's mind to her own.

 _You poor child_ , Impa thought sorrowfully. Being forced to relive the same experience over and over was something not even she could imagine. And one as horrible as that…

 _We'll end this_ , Impa vowed. _I will see to it that this cycle is broken._

* * *

 **Hmm... I wonder what that's all about! JK, I know EXACTLY what's happening.**

 **I am currently bound home by snow (homeward bound... hah... no one gets that), so no school! Should I be happy, or sad? Hah, just kidding, HAPPY! But instead of writing in this weather, for some reason I decided to jump into few snow banks and draw really bad pictures. Oh, and chuck snowballs at my buddies (woah, I have _friends?!)._**

 **I'm so immature. Anyway, because of this stuff, I'm behind on my writing schedule. Hopefully I'll get caught up today. If not, that would be the reason I update a little later next week. _Weather_ (hah, get it?) later in the day or early in the next. If I update late, assume that I got stuck in [another] snowbank.**

 **NOW, onto the replies! (Secret review phrase is weather)**

 **AddyBOTWfan13: Aw, thanks! I'm glad to hear that people can actually look forward to Mondays! I TOTALLY need a poof poodle doggo to scare the crap outta Daruk. Or maybe he'll just think it's a weird marshmallow. We'll see! OH! OH! OOOOH! I got that same book for Christmas! It was actually one of the reasons I decided to rewrite this story, because it has an actual time line of what happened before BoTW. I thought the exact same thing about Purah XD. I'm glad that they went with the one they did, though, because now it's like they put me into the game, except actually de-aged. I'm just a lunatic that acts like a three year old. **

**MeaninglessMayhem: It's okay. I'll torment Daruk more later. EVERYONE GETS A TURN! But Link gets more, because it's just really fun to torture Link. I'm assuming that you meant Fi, and that something auto corrected it or something. Yup, gotta torture Link in more ways than one! XD**

 **bladeofthebookworms: Me neither! I wonder why that sounds so familiar ;). Hopefully this Liari will be better. I think I gave her too much power in the last one. Let's start small, this time! And her personality was a bit inconsistent in the last one. I was actually thinking about doing that in the last one, but I decided not to. Maybe I'll do it in this one! We'll see. Aw, thank you! Your support is appreciated!**

 ** _notaname:_ Oh, it's completely fine! I wasn't being completely clear myself, so it's all good! I'm working on descriptiveness, but it is definitely an area I struggle with. It's not that I can't describe things in writing - it's that I can't find the balance between too much and too little. But I'm working on it! And yeah... I kind of just say, "okay, Zellie's HERE now." I really don't like writing about traveling (the title of one of the chapters in the old one was "Oh boy! Some more FREAKING traveling!" until I changed it. So don't look! I kind of want to put him in (well, at least his ancestor), but I'm still thinking about how to fit him in here. I'll figure it out. Yeah, I've heard of Botrick before! And the Lord of the Mountain, as strange as it is, is also very majestic. It's such a nice reference they put in. A moment of silence for Satoru Iwada... okay, done. I've played BoTW, but I had to share an account with my brother (long story), and he did a load of it without me. Then I bought a Switch for myself, started the game over, all that good stuff. But I actually started the old _Before_... _before_ that. Heh, puns. Anyway, I hope I don't ruin the game for when you get the opportunity to play it! GOOD! That's why I decided to update on Mondays (everyone hates Mondays XD). Thanks for the support, sorry for the long reply! XD**

 **notaname (2.0) : Aw, thanks! I think it's been a ton of people since before the rewrite, but I've been too oblivious to notice XD. **

**RoseyMirror: Ay! You aren't dead! Thanks! I'm working on keeping personalities consistent. Overusing italics? ...Yup, I can see that. I'll work on it! Once again, thank you! :3**

 **Once again, review! Any suggestions are welcome!**

 **That's all, folks! Now I'm off to go bury myself in a snow bank... and write, of course. Hopefully I don't decide to draw again - it can get very time consuming.**

 **THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT! :D**

 **Sincerely ((This joke is getting old...) I'm probably lying, bla bla bla),**

 **Ari~**


	8. Chapter 7: Pot Lids and Death Beams

**Chapter 7: Pot Lids and Death Beams**

"Zellie!"

Zelda jerked her head up from the book she was reading to see Purah running towards her like a maniac. The few others in the library gave the short Sheikah annoyed glares before returning to their studies.

"What is it, Purah?" Zelda asked. _She probably blew something up -_ again _._

"No, I did not blow something up," Purah huffed. _Why is it that it seems she can read my mind?_ "This is _way_ different!"

Zelda held a finger to her lips. "Quieter, Purah. I think they could hear you from Gerudo Desert."

"I don't think I can!" The Sheikah was bouncing on the tips of her toes like an excited child. "We managed to restore function to a _guardian_!"

 _...Are you pranking me_ again _?_ "Really?" Zelda said instead, using her most neutral voice. She and the other researchers had been trying for _months_ to bring the guardians to life, and it wasn't the first time Purah had used this as an excuse to spend time with Zelda.

"Yes!" Purah exclaimed. An older woman from a nearby table sent a glare that, if looks could kill, would have completely erased Purah from existence. Purah, however, was unfazed, instead grabbing Zelda's arm and tugging. "Come _on_!"

Zelda closed her book gently, before standing. "Let's go," she whispered, so as to not draw more attention to herself and Purah.

* * *

Purah led the princess to a courtyard. It was actually right below the bridge between her bedroom and her study, which was chosen due to its spacious and vacant nature.

Zelda, however, didn't really care about the location. What truly interested her was the mechanical guardian that was walking around, slowly, on surprisingly steady legs.

"Wow…" Zelda held a hand to her chin, her expression giving away her awe.

There were other researchers there besides Purah, of course. Dr. Robbie, however, was the only one present besides Purah that the princess recognized. The rest of them seemed to be new recruits.

"How did you do it?" Zelda asked Purah excitedly.

"Well, you see, apparently the core and a few springs needed replacing," Purah explained.

"How did you replace the parts?" Zelda asked, confused. All of the spare parts they'd found were rusted over, unfit for powering any of the guardians.

"Oh, you didn't hear?" Purah asked. When Zelda shook her head, Purah continued. "We found the blueprints for the cores and such in a ruin. We managed to scavenge the materials necessary, put 'em together, and electrify them. It was simple enough."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Zelda grumbled. No one ever bothered to inform her of such things.

Purah shrugged. "You _were_ traveling all over Hyrule until just yesterday. Cut us some slack, Zellie. It's not like we can teleport to your location in an instant - yet, anyway."

That was a surprisingly fair argument. "I suppose so," Zelda mumbled. Then Zelda did a double take on Purah's words. "Wait... _yet_?"

"We think there's a way to teleport to these strange buildings that have been appearing all over Hyrule." Purah shrugged. "We doubt we'll find out how anytime soon, but it _is_ a possibility."

Zelda held a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Interesting." She turned her attention back to the guardian, which was moving with more ease. "We're not controlling it?"

"Yup." Zelda heard Purah's movement from beside her. "It looks like there's some sort of… _being_ in the core. We've taken to calling it 'artificial intelligence.'"

"Does it take commands?" Zelda asked, finally tearing her eyes away from the guardian.

Purah frowned. "Not yet. It seems that it is simply doing as it was programed at the moment. We're still not sure-" Purah cut herself off as a strange whirring sound came from the guardian. Zelda turned her head to the noise, only to see the guardian's previously blue veins flicker to a dark orange. It's legs creaked as their movement came to a stop, its head swiveling in its socket.

Zelda frowned and tilted her head at it. _Was that a command? Or is it acting of its own accord?_

"Uh… Zellie…"

The guardian's eye trained itself on a few researchers, before a bright flash of blue blinded Zelda.

Screams ensued, and Zelda saw dust where the researchers had been. The clearing was full of chaos and confusion, no one sure what had just happened.

The guardian eye swiveled to a stone wall, another light coming, but this time Zelda managed to see what happened.

A blue beam shot out, and, upon contact with the wall, explosions erupted. Zelda could only gape, vaguely aware of Purah shouting and tugging the princess away.

Zelda tripped,too shocked to attempt to stand. The eye of the guardian whirled towards her, and light grew as the eye seemed to be gathering energy.

Zelda closed her eyes as the laser shot from the eye, knowing already that it was over.

She heard an explosion, but the pain never came, the sound seeming distant. The princess could feel a sort of shadow cast over her, and risked opening an eye.

Over her stood a Royal Guard, judging from his clothing. However, he did not wear the hat like most of the rank would, his dark gold hair tied behind his head.

What brought a frown to her face was the sword on his back. _The_ Master _Sword._

She hadn't recognized him at first, but it was _him_. This was the one who had succeeded where she had failed.

Sir Link Equitem, weapon prodigy, Royal Guard extraordinaire, Hylian Champion wielder of the Master Sword, and, of course, the Hero of Hyrule.

Zelda leaned out of the shadow of the hero and gaped at what she saw. The guardian was completely destroyed. Its parts laid strewn across the ground, flames catching on the few blades of dry grass surrounding them.

The hero turned to her blankly, offering a hand, but Zelda stood up on her own. She brushed off her dress, before glaring at the hero.

"How dare you?" She growled. "That was the only guardian we were able to restore to functionality!" Zelda did not care to take note of the hero drawing his arms behind his back. She did not care to note that he had nothing in his hands that he could've possibly used to stop the guardian.

She was far too blinded by rage to even notice the slight guilt that swept into the hero's eyes before vanishing instantly, as if it was no more than small ripples in a pond.

Instead, the hero dipped his head slightly, as if an apology, and silently stalked away. Zelda did not manage to see any sincerity in the act. Instead, all she saw was arrogance. _The confident, big-headed, stuck up little-_

"Princess…" Zelda jerked her head to her side, where she had felt a tap on her shoulder.

Purah looked up with her with, surprisingly, serious scarlet eyes. "That wasn't very nice of you to talk to Link like that. He did _save_ your life."

It was _then_ that Zelda recalled that the knight had had no evident way of reflecting the beam. "How _did_ he reflect the guardian's laser?"

Purah laughed. "A pot lid. What an idiot, right?"

Zelda stared at Purah in disbelief. He had destroyed months of work… with a _pot lid._

* * *

Liari watched as the princess berated Link, hearing her every word clearly despite being on the other side of the clearing. When Link merely dipped his head, as if apologizing, and made his way off, Liari was quick to follow.

She knew that, despite the tough front that Link put up, he was probably feeling horrible, even though he had done the right thing. After all, that was how he was.

When Liari lost sight of him, she could only guess at where he was going. It wouldn't be the kitchen - there were too many people around working… and it wouldn't be his room, for sure. He slept in the Royal Guard chambers, and those were more like _barracks_ than separate bedrooms.

There was only one other place he could be.

* * *

Liari reached the stables just as Link was leading a fully equipped Epona out of her stall.

"Link!" Liari called.

Link jerked his head towards Liari, before turning back to Epona and mounting the steed with a flourish.

"Liiink!" Liari groaned as he nudged Epona to a gallop. "Ugh, what a big baby." Liari turned to the stalls, searching for her own horse.

She found the night black stallion before long, saddling him up. "He always runs away," Liari huffed to the horse as she mounted. "Can you help me catch Epona, Umbra?"

The stallion snorted and, with a nudge from its rider, broke into a canter. Liari steered the horse out of the stables, off to find a stupid boy.

Now Liari understood how Impa felt. Liari mentally noted to stop skipping her lessons.

* * *

Liari leapt off of Umbra, making good use of her Sheikah training so that she could remain silent. Link was sitting up against a tree, breathing deeply and cradling his arm.

Liari rolled her eyes. "You blew up your arm, didn't you?"

"No," Link replied, jerking his head towards her and moving his right arm behind his back. "I blew up a _guardian_."

"Same thing," Liari huffed, walking over and kneeling down in front of him. It was clear that he was trying to hide it, as he usually wouldn't resort to bringing up accomplishments. She held out her hand. "Arm, please."

Link sighed and brought his arm in front of him.

Liari winced at the sight. The sleeve of his undershirt hadn't been pulled up, but shards of wood stabbed through the cloth and to the skin.

"Okay, I guess you _didn't_ blow up your arm," Liari said as she pulled some bandages from her bag. "But blowing up a _pot lid_ is a different story."

"I parried wrong. Lesson learned. On the bright side, I didn't get murdered by an explody beam of death."

Liari snorted. "Idiot. Why were you even there in the first place?"

Link shrugged. "What can I say? I go where the explosions take me," Link answered.

"You were bored, and decided to watch the guardians," Liari guessed.

Link frowned at her, before wincing as she yanked a shard from his skin. "Please don't tell me that you've figured out _vidensia_."

Liari laughed, before pulling out another shard. "I skip lessons too much to get there."

"Wow, what a rebel," Link mumbled. "You're lucky you can get away with things like that. Back in _my_ day-"

"Your day was fifty years ago," Liari interrupted with a smirk. "Stop talking about it."

Link gasped, as if offended, though Liari knew he wasn't. "How dare you? Clearly my day was fifty- _five_ years ago!"

Liari rolled her eyes as she continued pulling out the wood shards. "Apologies, almighty Sir Link. Won't happen again, I assure you."

"And accept mine, great and marvelous Dame Liari," Link said with great dramatic flair. "Ouch!"

"That's the last of 'em." Liari rolled up his sleeve. "Ooh… that's gotta hurt." Blood specked his arm already. "How you deal with this sort of thing, I will never understand. Especially because of how big a _baby_ you are."

"Whatever," Link mumbled. "You're so _mean_ to me."

"I do it outta love, Linky."

Link laughed. "'Linky?' Is Purah finally rubbing off on you?"

"No," Liari huffed. "Definitely not. "Now shut up and let me cut off your blood flow with these bandages."

* * *

 **This is kind of late in the day, but I have a good explanation! Traveling! Yes, that's right! I actually _do_ leave the house for things other than school! However, because of traveling, I haven't been able to go through this as many times as I would like. If you find any errors or have any recommendations, do point them out/tell me! I will fix this chapter up and update the changes next week, when the next chapter comes out.**

 **I just got all four divine beasts in my BoTW replay-through, as well as the Master Sword. I think I've got six or seven of the memories, too. But this means that I can actually look at the places! Clearly these countless hours I spend playing BoTW instead of writing is COMPLETE research! DuUuUuh...**

 **ANYWAY, moving on! These replies will not be as in depth! (Uh... Secret review phrase is "Explody beam of death." That's actually a reference to a similar chapter in the first draft o' this story.)**

 **AddyBOTWfan13: Urbosa is probably one of my favorites, too! She's up there. And BOY - wait... uh... VOE does she kick butt! I'm starting a card/hug/teddy bear drive sort of thing for Link. Feel free to leave free hugs. And about Impa helping him... we'll see. I'm starting to wish I HADN'T gotten snow! Days off of school actually made the few days I _did_ have EXHAUSTING. **

**MeaninglessMayhem : It's all good! Auto correct is stupid... most of the time. And if Link didn't torture himself... well, where's the fun in that? :)**

 **notaname : I gave him a _little_ more energy here. But maybe that's just him putting up a tough front! The world may never know. FIGHT SCENES! That could actually be good practice, because I tend to struggle with those! Maybe just a few of them, though - don't want traveling to get repetitive. And I have to limit the amount of times Link saves Zellie, or she might start looking at things differently BEFORE the Yiga memory. Hmm... yup, I could do info nuggets, too! That's another thing that could use work. Ah - YouTube. Spoiling things since... 2005 (I DEFINITELY did not look that up). I LOVED the Lon Lon Ranch in BoTW! I had Epona via the Smash Link Amiibo (I think that's how it's spelled), and those two things combined really brought the tears.**

 **bladeofthebookworms : Would you like to donate to the Link Happiness drive? Cards, hugs, teddy bears, and the like are welcome. ANYWAY, I've had (have) sleep issues myself. I feel like it's relatable. So why not use it to torture Link, too (XD)? Urbosa is definitely one of my favorites, too! Thank you for your support! :3**

 **Green Swordsman : It's all good! Life will do that sort of thing to ya. But snow.. yup, it'll do THAT to ya. Snow can be SCARY (XD). Thank you! I have to agree with you - I have really, _really_ improved. Like, woah, how have I not _burned_ that stuff, yet? I'm really glad you've been enjoying it! I have to let you in on a secret - I don't really write Link. He just sort of writes himself. It's so WEIRD (XD). And with Liari's powers... I can't let her give away all of Link's secrets! Mystery is far too intriguing for me to throw it out the window like that mango! I mean... I didn't just throw a mango out the window. I really didn't! I'm just being weird! In the first one I think I was moving too fast - I'm a very _blunt_ sort of person (I think I've pointed that out before), and it can sometimes be difficult to keep that out of my writing. That's just another way I've improved! And the not-hinting-very-much was mainly because I had no idea where I was going with it. But now I do, so I guess we're all good, now. Fi needed a larger role. In the first version, she was just kind of making life difficult for Link. But now she's going to help Link ...and I guess make life difficult for him, because torturing Link is fun. Link seems like he's been getting more sleep right now... but maybe that's just a tough front. I'm not telling you, though! Maybe he's drinking stamina elixirs. The world may never know (Actually, it probably will). THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!**

 **1 Delphox Lover (I like delphox, too! :D) : Hopefully you see this. I usually send replies in PMs for reviews on earlier chapters, but it won't let me do that with guests. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! I hope that I can keep it interesting!**

 **1 Delphox Lover (2.0) : It's all good. For some reason, it actually translates back into english as a different word. The original word was "Horseman." Cue the laughter! XD **

**QwertyBobberson: They had seen each other at the ceremony, but they didn't really meet. So... this is technically their first meeting... and Zelda treated him like crap. YAY!**

 **That's all, folks. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Review if you did, and review if you didn't (tell me why, plz)!**

 **Wear your seat belts!**

 **Sincerely (Unsure at best),**

 **Ari~**


	9. Chapter 8: A Work of Art

_**Chapter 8: A Work of Art**_

"Welcome, warriors!" King Bosphoramus Hyrule called from his place above the champions. The sanctum where they were gathered was spacious, banners bearing the symbol of the Hyrulean Royal Family draped about.

Below the balcony were the five champions, the princess standing before them regally. Soldiers of all the races were scattered behind them, an important representative carrying the banner bearing their symbol.

"I'd like to thank you for joining me here today, and for your bravery in accepting this… fateful task." The king drew in a deep breath. "I officially appoint you Hyrule's champions and bestow upon you this sacred garb. That blue is a symbol of the royal family, one that has been passed down for generations. Those garments you now wear were all crafted by my daughter, Princess Zelda.

"Zelda," he continued, the princess dipping her head slightly at her name. "I trust you with a task only a daughter of the royal family can fulfill.

"Lead our champions, Princess," the king said, voice rising in volume, "and together," he continued, throwing his arms out wide as if giving the audience a hug, "protect our kingdom from the threat of Calamity Ganon."

* * *

All around Castle Town, the people of the great city celebrated with fireworks and festivities, dancing and feasting on fine foods.

The champions, however, sought quiet in the gardens to become acquainted with each other. _After all,_ Zelda thought, _we'll be working together for quite a while_.

What with Master Revali, Lady Urbosa, and Princess Mipha conversing in one corner, Lord Daruk and Sir Link in another, Zelda did not feel as if she fit in. All the others were warriors, through and through, but Zelda was a researcher. She read books and poked at Sheikah technology.

Deciding she'd rather not waste her time, Zelda decided to bring out the stone tablet found in a recent excavation, which Purah had allowed her to keep, despite her reluctance. They had dubbed the strange device a "Sheikah Slate," and, though much of its secrets were yet to be discovered, Zelda was extremely intrigued by what they _had_ discovered.

So she sat on the bench of the sheltered area, listening vaguely to the conversations as she tested the zoom function of the slate.

"So, Princess Mipha-"

"Oh, just Mipha is quite all right, Lady Urbosa."

"Mipha," Urbosa's voice said instead. Zelda could hear the smile in her voice. "And you as well, Revali. What is it that you like to do in your spare time?"

"I will occasionally work with my trident, but I tend to help my younger brother, Prince Sidon, with his swimming," Mipha said quietly.

" _I_ work on new aerial techniques," Revali said, his voice prideful.

"I see! I myself enjoy sparing with the captain of the Gerudo guard. Perhaps we should all participate in a friendly duel sometime."

"I would like that," Mipha said softly.

"I would win, of course," Revali cut in.

"Is that a challenge, Rito?"

"That it is."

Zelda rolled her eyes, knowing it would turn into a friendly argument. She allowed her hearing to stray to the further corner.

"Come on, Little Guy," she heard Daruk say. "Lighten up a bit, will ya? You look exhausted! I can see why, though - those formal shindigs _really_ take it outta me."

Zelda let her eyes stray upward, but she saw no change in the knight's behavior. He looked as blank faced as normal, besides a slight darkening beneath the eyes. _It's most likely a simple trick of the light._

"So that's the Sheikah Slate, eh?"

Zelda looked up to see Revali's attention on her. Zelda stood and offered it to the Rito, which he accepted and examined, trying to look disinterested but his curiosity coming through.

"It is," Zelda replied. "Apparently there are more uses for it than originally thought. Sadly, we've yet to decipher all of its secrets."

Revali passed the slate precariously to Mipha, who was startled and nearly dropped it. However, she got a hold of it and began to examine it herself.

Urbosa leaned down towards Mipha with a slight smile. "The princess showed me something strange recently. Somehow the slate can create true-to-life images."

Zelda nodded. "Yes, we've taken to calling them photographs."

"Oh, wow…" the Zora princess said, awe in her voice. "I would love to see it."

Then Mipha looked up as if a light had gone on in her head. "Um… Princess," Mipha began. Zelda smiled and gave Mipha her full attention. "May I ask a special favor of you?"

Zelda tilted her head slightly. "Anything, Mipha."

"Could you perhaps allow us to take one of these... _photographs_ together?" Mipha glanced towards Daruk and Link, who had quieted to listen.

Zelda nodded with a bright smile. "Of course, Mipha."

* * *

"All right!" Purah said, clapping her hands together. "This spot should work nicely. The slate, please." Zellie had called for her to take the photograph so that they all would be included. Purah was revered as the "Best Photograph Taker Ever" (self dubbed, of course). It was obvious that she was the _best_ option.

Zellie handed her the slate, and Purah immediately made hand motions. "Closer together, everyone."

Daruk ended up in the back, Urbosa and Revali on the left, Linky and Mipha (or as Purah liked to call her, the love struck fish lady) on the right, and Zellie right in the middle.

Purah turned on the slate, pointing it towards the group. She tilted her head. "Hmm…" She looked up from the slate and nodded. "Daruk, can you crouch down a bit? You're as big as Death Mountain!"

Daruk rubbed his neck with a sheepish grin before kneeling down behind the other champions. _Much better._ "And…" Purah frowned at the look on Zellie's face. "What's with the glum face, Princess? Gimme a big smile!"

Purah watched as Urbosa tapped Zelda's shoulder reassuringly, and Purah grinned slyly as she caught Mipha inching towards Linky. _So love struck. Too bad Linky's oblivious._

Purah rolled her eyes at Revali, who was standing, chest puffed up pridefully, facing away from the group. "Revali, move your tail closer to the gosh darn group!"

Revali rolled his own, sharp golden eyes. "Ugh, fine," he groaned as he turned, _now_ facing the group.

Purah smiled mischievously. "Mipha, you look so _tense!_ Deep breaths, okay?"

"Right," Mipha said breathlessly, before taking a few deep breaths.

"There we go! Stay just like that!" Purah grinned. "Smiiiile…" Purah smiled herself as she saw that even _Link_ managed a slight smile. "Click, _snap_!" _Oooh, I like_ that _._ Purah mentally added it to her list of new catch phrases.

Just as Purah clicked the button, Daruk pulled everyone into a big hug, all of them falling over.

Purah's own eyes were wide with surprise, and she quickly went to the album of the slate while they were all getting up.

What she saw made her break into laughter. Daruk was grinning widely, while most everyone else (except Urbosa - _That woman is so photogenic that it's not even_ funny _!_ ) had assumed shocked expressions. Even _Linky_ looked surprised! Purah had to hand it to Daruk - he sure knew how to get priceless expressions out of people.

"Purah…" Purah jerked her head up to see that Zellie had approached her. The Hylian princess looked slightly worried. "What are you laughing-"

Purah showed Zelda the picture, before practically collapsing on the grass with laughter.

"Ugh," Zelda mumbled.

"'Ugh' what?" Purah laughed. "This is _art_!"

"Can we get a serious one, please?" Zelda asked desperately.

"Fiiine…" Purah groaned with a roll of her eyes. "But can I have permission to get a painter to copy this onto a big canvas? I need to put this on my wall!"

"I'm sure Lady Impa would _love_ that," Zelda mumbled.

"Oh, she would," Purah agreed, despite knowing Zelda was being sarcastic. "I'm sure she would want another copy for her fancy office, too!"

"Yes," Zelda said sarcastically. "Definitely. After all, who wouldn't want an embarrassing image of the Champions of Hyrule?"

"I _know_ , right?"

"That truly is a wonderful image, Ms. Purah," Urbosa cut in. It seemed she and the other champions had approached while Purah was laughing. "I would like a copy myself."

"I'll see what I can do, Lady Urbosa!" Purah laughed. Then she caught a certain knight sneaking away while all the other champions were laughing at the picture. "Linky, get back here!"

 _Oops,_ Purah thought as all of the champions' attention was directed to the boy. He stopped and turned around slowly, stoic and blank.

"Yes, come along, Sir Link," Urbosa said with her usual smile. "I think you'll enjoy these expressions as much as we do."

 _Ohhhh…_ Purah thought as she realized what was up with Link. _He thinks that, because he got startled, they won't look at him the same._

There was no doubt about it. He was _exactly_ like Impa.

Link did not show the slightest hesitancy as he rejoined the group, but he did not make any remarks or anything of the like. Purah wanted to apologize, but it would draw even more attention to him, so she decided to refrain from commenting. Instead, she settled for a silent exchange with an apologetic expression, but Link merely shook his head. _Welp, then I guess we're fine then?_

* * *

 **Hey guys! Welcome back to another episode of _Before (the rewrite)_! ...What? I'm working on my You-Tuber impression!**

 **As per usual, please review! ANY feedback would be wonderful, even if you're telling me I suck (just tell me why)!**

 **REPLIES! (Secret review phrase = A work of art. How original, amirite? It's not like that's the chapter title or anything!)**

 **bladeofthebookworms : Aw, thanks! A funny thing I have discovered is that I write scenes faster and better when it includes Link torture... Zellie needs to look just a _little_ closer. I referenced her noticing something about his well-being when she was listening in on his and Daruk's conversation, but she didn't look any deeper! No, I'm sure Link would _love_ all of that! Hugs and nice stories about Link abuse! YAY! Thank you! I find Purah a lot like myself - youthful and a bit insane. Link and Liari's friendship has been a bit tricky to write, what with keeping Link's character balanced between silence and opening up. I think I've been doing it okay, though. I'm so glad you've been enjoying it! You have a great day/week! :D**

 **notaname : I have a friend (** _Woah, I have_ **friends** _?_ **) who changed their alerts to the korok laugh. It's hilarious when it goes off during an activity - everyone just stops what they're doing, looks around, and looks confused, while she, our other friend, and myself are laughing like lunatics. Good! It was a bit trickier to write! I can** _totally_ **see Zelda shouting that too, now (XD). Link putting up a tough front?** _We'll see._ **Why did I italicize that? NO, we're not getting more Link PoV next chapter, are we? No, that's ridiculous! Hmm... good idea! I'll probably put some info nuggets in here at some point! It'll spice up traveling (I didn't think that was possible to do!)! Nah, it's all good ideas! I can take it seriously if I _want_ to! I didn't notice the Spectacle Rock easter egg! I think I heard about it, but I just looked it up, and yup! Definitely an easter egg! WOO! Wait, it's around the Death Mountain Sheikah tower? I must've missed it (XD). It's all good! Hope you get better (though you're probably fine by now XD)! **

**Green Swordsman : I have to put in _some_ references to the old story! Actually, I really don't. I just really wanted to (XD). I'm glad that you found it to your liking (what kind of language am I speaking/writing?!)! Every time I read the pot lid story myself, I legit face palm. WORK WITH ME, ZELLIE! XD**

 **And that's everything! Hope you guys have a great week! Imma go write some more, now!**

 **Sincerely (At best a guess),**

 **Ari**


	10. Chapter 9: The Rumor Mill

**AN: Skip this part if you are not a guest! This is just guest reviews! You already got your reply (probably), and this is guests only! Go away! Real AN is downstairs!**

 **notaname: At least it's not Beedle anymore (or Navi... those were dark days, even though I had never laughed harder). What? No, this chapter DEFINITELY ****doesn't have us staring awkwardly into Link's mind. Definitely not. And there definitely isn't a big change of thought that is turning everything you may have believed on its head (might be exaggerating a bit, but whatever). My writing is _always_ a work of art (it really isn't... I've burned some of the stuff)! Hmm... not bad. I'll put it on my list of things I'll consider including, though I'll probably end up throwing in some stuff before the Liari/Zellie conversation. I had to earn the money for my Switch too! ...except I only had to pay half. Not important. Oh no... what's that feeling in my bones? Is it...? Could it be...? OH NO! THE MOST COMMON AND DEADLY DISEASE... SPRING. FEVER. Weird. It should be spring where I'm at by now, but there's still a foot of snow on the ground. Oooh I saw that! I was like, "what the heck is that? Is that a dead tree or something?" Then it was a rusty sword... "Sweet! I needed more stuff to break!" Oh my gosh, Purah would destroy the world! I can see it now! "BOW BEFORE ME, PUNY MORTALS! SNAP!" Link probably has done that, honestly... though it was probably a bokoblin or something. OH WAIT! I actually did something similar to that with a moblin. It did _not_ see that attack coming. Have a nice week!**

 **Guest: Oh, yes!**

 **notaname (2.0): I freaking love it! Why? You reading my reviews on other stories? (insert face with one eyebrow raised here)**

 **ROLL THE TAPE!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9: The Rumor Mill**_

" _After meeting with the Champions, I left to research the ancient technology, but nothing of note came of my research. The return of Ganon looms—a dark force taunting us from afar. I must learn all I can about the relics so we can stop him. If the fortune-teller's prophecy is to be believed, there isn't much time left... Ah, but turning over these thoughts in my head puts me ill at ease. I suppose I should turn in for the night."_

A knock at Zelda's bedroom door brought her attention to the door of her study. "Enter," she called as she turned her chair.

Lady Impa entered with a bow. "I apologize for the interruption, Princess."

"Your apology is unnecessary, Lady Impa," Zelda said, waving it off. "What is it that you seek?"

"I wish to bring to your attention a decision your father made a few days ago," Lady Impa said with a blank expression that was common to most Sheikah. "He desires to assign you an appointed knight, who is to accompany you starting the day after tomorrow." Zelda felt her blood begin to boil.

"And who is it that he seeks to assign?" Zelda asked as calmly as she could. _Most likely a highly accomplished member of the royal guard._ She prayed they wouldn't be too arrogant.

"I am sure that you have heard of him," Impa stated. _That's never a good sign._ "I believe that you have met him, as well." That wasn't a good sign, either.

"Sir Link Equitem is to become your appointed knight."

Zelda turned back to her desk, staring at the page of her diary. "I see… is there anything else that you need to address?"

"There will be a ceremony for him tomorrow," Impa pointed out. "Not only will he be taking his vows as your appointed knight, but he shall also have a somewhat public ceremony to give him his title as hero. You already have the words memorized, so you shouldn't have any complications in that area."

Zelda felt her teeth clench slightly. "Is there anything _else_?"

"Nothing else, Princess Zelda," Impa said with a shake of her head. "I do not believe you will have any issues with Sir Link - he is a very skilled and respectful knight - but if you have any concerns, you may voice them to me."

 _I doubt I will have to._ Zelda thought with a huff. She hadn't expected _Impa_ of all people to praise the knight, but that was just more proof of what he was - absolutely _perfect._ "You are dismissed, Lady Impa."

"Thank you, Princess. Be sure to get some sleep." Impa's voice then lowered. "Hylia knows we all need more of it," Lady Impa added quietly, making the princess unsure if she was meant to hear that last comment.

With that, the door clicked shut, leaving Zelda, once again, alone.

She turned back to her diary and scribbled down a final few words.

" _P.S. Tomorrow my father is assigning_ _HIM_ _as my appointed knight..."_

* * *

"Hero chosen by the sword that seals the darkness - you have shown unflinching bravery and skill in the face of adversity," the princess droned.

Link mentally laughed from his kneeling position on the ground. He hadn't shown bravery a single time in his life. He was skittish and terrified of everything - it had taken _years_ for him to perfect his brave front. Skill… _kind of?_ Even _he_ had to admit that he had _some_ skill. Years of training would do that to you.

"You have proven yourself worthy of the blessings…" Link noted that the princess paused slightly there. It was small and insignificant, hardly obvious, but as… _punctilious_ as he was, he caught it. "...of the goddess, Hylia."

Link had never done a single thing to prove himself, but this was a ceremony, written _ages_ before, that had absolutely nothing to do with him - he was overthinking things, as per usual.

"Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight, the sacred blade is forever bound to the spirit of the hero. We pray for your protection-" Link was getting a bit weirded out. _Spirit of the hero? Pray for your protection?_ This ceremony was making him seem like some sort of deity or hero incarnate! "-and we hope that - that the two of you will grow stronger together, as one."

" _I am storing the exact words of this ceremony in my memory if you would like to further analyze it,"_ Fi whispered in the back of his mind.

Link did not reply - not even mentally. After all, he was busy using up his mental energy to internally face palm at his constant mental companion.

"Gee, this is uplifting," he heard Daruk say from the small audience - the other champions ( _Daruk, Princess Mipha, Revali, and Lady Urbosa_ , he reminded himself), the most prominent members of the Hyrulean court (which unfortunately included Impa), Purah (Purah was her own category), and King Rhoam. This did not help Link's... _nervousness_.

"Forged in the long distant past, the sword that seals the darkness-" the princess continued, though the ceremony was getting quite repetitive, so Link turned his ears back to Daruk.

"-making it sound like we already lost," Daruk continued.

Now that Daruk mentioned it, the princess _did_ sound quite down. _It's probably because she's stuck with me now._ After all, she hadn't been very fond of him since the "Explody Death Beam Episode," as Link had taken to calling it. She had also seen him in a very unrefined light in that photo that Purah had taken.

She likely despised him.

"Wasn't this your idea?" Revali scoffed in reply. " _You're_ the one who wanted to designate the hero with all the ceremonial pomp, grandeur, and nonsense we could muster!"

 _I'll have to thank him for that, later,_ Link thought sarcastically.

"And if you ask me," Revali continued spitefully, "the whole thing does seem to be overkill." Link almost - _almost_ \- sighed. It seemed he was failing at seeming competent - the truth was coming through. "I think I'm on the same page as the princess regarding this… boy."

 _Boy_. Well, that's what he _was_. He was too young for this. Why hadn't Fi chosen someone more experienced?

To Link's surprise, Fi remained silent. Normally she would make an argument. He was thankful, yet slightly weirded out at the same time.

"Oh, give it a rest," Lady Urbosa chimed in. "That boy is a living reminder of her own failures."

 _...Huh?_

"Well, at least that's how the princess sees him," Urbosa finished.

The princess's droning stopped momentarily. He heard her take a small, shuddering breath.

"Rise, Hero," the princess said quietly, before continuing with a firmer tone. "and save us when it matters most."

Link stood, making sure that his face was, once again, devoid of emotion. He pondered the meaning of Urbosa's words, before clearing his thoughts.

* * *

Later in the day, when Link had finally escaped the champions, he decided to take Epona out. After all, the next time he went out into the plains, he would be with the princess rather than alone. He decided that he would like to enjoy one last day out in the wild in which he could be his normal self.

Link felt a yawn coming up, but quickly swallowed it back down. He still didn't sleep as much as he used to, though the nightmares had become less frequent. Impa had her theories about it, but they couldn't be sure.

However, on his way to the stables, he was stopped in his tracks when he heard voices gossiping loudly.

"...Hylian Champion sure is something."

"I don't know about that. He seems quite strange. I've heard he's been hanging around with the Sheikah quite a lot. The _Sheikah_!"

"I know that they're intimidating and secretive, but what's so bad about him having friends from other races?"

"I heard there's a secret cult made up mostly of Sheikah. They've been heard to steal and murder, and worship the _Calamity_ \- maybe he's not as heroic as he seems…"

"That secret 'cult' is probably fake, idiot. Even if it is, the Sheikah I've met are nice enough. They are _completely_ loyal to the royal family."

"W-well," the other began to argue back. "He… he even _acts_ like a Sheikah!"

"How so?"

"He's so quiet - _silent_ , even in movement!"

"I heard he's been getting training from Lady Impa, so that wouldn't be surprising."

"Why would he be getting training from a _Sheikah_? They tend to refuse to train other races…" The voice paused. "Do you think…?"

Just then, the two maids rounded the corner and stopped in their tracks, seeing the very champion they had been gossiping about.

"H-hello, Sir Link," the first greeted nervously. "Where are you off to? Aren't there all of those fancy parties being thrown in your honor?"

"Believe it or not, I am not very fond of them," Link replied blankly. "I decided that getting some fresh air would be preferable."

"Heading to the stables?"

Link nodded.

"Well… don't let us keep you," the other said slowly, bowing slightly. Then both maids hurried passed him, continuing their conversation in hushed voices.

Link held back a sigh. Impa was right about his friendliness around his Sheikah friends starting rumors. She had advised against moving so silently, as she had taught him - at least around the castle. She had also said to be more careful around his Sheikah friends (quite few in number), and to not act so familiar... But it seemed his habits did not agree.

He knew what he needed to do. He didn't want to - he _really_ didn't... but he knew that the only way to stop the rumors and his overt friendliness towards them was to...

He was going to have to cut off his casual contact with Impa, Liari, and Purah.

 _Hylia, help me._

* * *

Zelda hardly ate anything at the celebration. She merely sat and smiled, trying to look as elated as all those around her. She didn't see the knight, so she assumed that he was out at Castle Town showing off his title. If not (she wasn't sure if he had that "I do not associate with peasants" mindset yet), then he was probably at another of the parties. Turns out people actually cared that a hero had been chosen.

Of course, Zelda was glad as well… but it would help if the hero wasn't arrogant and handed _everything_. _Oh, you need the Master Sword? Here you go. Respect? Have all of it!_

She may have hoped desperately to unlock her powers soon, but now another new hope was added to her list.

 _I hope he gets knocked down a few pegs._

* * *

 **If only Zellie knew what was going through Linky's mind at that exact moment. He's about to _cut off contact_ with most of the few friends that he has. I'll let you decide whether that was a good decision or not (I know what you're all going to say XD).**

 **OH MY GOSH IT'S BOTW'S SECOND ANNIVERSARY! Well, when I'm writing this (you won't see this until tomorrow). BUT IT IS/WAS BOTW'S SECOND ANNIVERSARY! Wow...**

 **I've been looping this BEAUTIFUL Zelda animation, and I love the song. If you want to see it, you can find it on YouTube under the title "History has it's eyes on you - Zelda Animatic." I love it so freaking much! I might even be using it as inspiration for future chapters (Hint hint). If I do, I'll definitely be suggesting to listen to the song for the whole chapter.**

 **As per usual, review! I love, love, love, love, _love_ reviews! Wanna tell me how much you like it? Sure! Motivation juice! Wanna tell me all of your crazy theories about this story, or maybe just Zelda in general? Why not? Wanna criticize something? Fire at will! Remember that I don't always catch all the mistakes!**

 **Speaking of reviews, I was thinking that it would be preferable to PM the replies to members and put guest reviews at the top. That way everyone gets their replies (no one wants to search through an extensively long author's note just to get a reply... if they even _read_ the author's note. I see you, author's note skippers! You can't hide from me! MUAHAHAHAHAAAAAA-!** **)! I'm actually going to do that this chapter, and if you don't like it, go ahead and tell me! If enough people hate it, then I'll go back to normal!**

 **Secret review phrase is... Ouch. Why? Because. Ouch.**

 **Have a good week! Until next time!**

 **Most sincerely (Eh),**

 **Ari**


	11. Chapter 10: Isolation

**notaname: Most definitely not. Why would we be staring into Link's mind? That's just weird *laughs awkwardly*. I tend to exaggerate a lot, so no guarantees. Aw, that's so sweet of you! I put a lot of work into my writing, and there are times where I don't feel like it's good enough, so it's wonderful to hear that you enjoy it! Hey, I take all the ideas I can get! Chapters can be hard to fill, sometimes! I can definitely see Zelda doing that. And then later, she'll look back and be like "Oh... maybe it wasn't that easy for him." Probably. Maybe. Yeah, that might show up somewhere. Good luck with the savings! I've had my share of lazy siblings (I have quite a few). I don't know why, but where I live, I've been getting TONS of snow recently! And then the next day it's raining for some reason. We don't get a lot of precipitation the rest of the year, but then winter comes around and WHOOSH! Two feet of snow and a solid layer of ice on the ground. It's fun missing school, but then you get two weeks of school added to the end of the year, sooo... eh, it's debatable as to whether you're missing out or not. I knew about the names of the other Divine Beasts, but I could never figure out Rudania's namesake! I thought that for some reason they got lazy after naming the others after other characters... or something, but now I know! Huh! You learn something new every day! ...Purah, I'm going to have to ask you to chill out for a second... so that I can give you this list of people to snap at. I MEAN... uh... stop disintegrating people! It's not nice! Heheh heeeeehh... HMM... so does your friend tell you about ALL of the reviews they read? HMM?! Are you two fellow secret agents, after me for egging on Purah? I MEAN... no! I tried to stop her, I really did! I have no idea how she got that gauntlet! Well _anyway_ , have a great week! XD  
**

 **Guest: Aw, thanks! I've definitely skipped author's notes myself, but it's usually because I have more stuff to read. XD**

 **ROLL THE TAPE!**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 10: Isolation_**

Zelda tried to focus on reading her book, but the only thing she could think of was the eyes of her new _appointed knight_ that were burning into her back.

She was in the library, seated at one of the many tables. She was _trying_ to do research the ancient Sheikah ("trying" being the operative word). She had - no, _still_ hoped that there was a passage in one of the books on ancient technology.

 _It's not like someone is going to come and try to kill me in a crowded library_ , she thought spitefully. But under orders of her father, the knight was to accompany her everywhere besides her chambers (her room, study, and the like), for privacy reasons. She had found herself spending many of the last few days in her study just to avoid him, though she knew he was always standing watch just outside the door.

And when it was necessary to leave (when she needed to eat, get a book from the library, bounce an idea off of Purah, do her prayers, and other such things), she pulled the door open quickly, trying to catch the knight leaning on the door or slouching. But she never did. Whenever she opened the door he was standing stick straight. He would never even look surprised, merely turning around with a blank face before stepping aside.

 _He really is the_ perfect _little knight, isn't he?_ she found herself thinking bitterly.

She closed her book with a sigh, knowing that, with her thoughts all over the place like this, she would not be successful in her search. She rose from her seat, grabbing another book on the way, and, knowing the knight would follow, made her way back to her study.

* * *

 _"The Sheikah are quite mysterious, and their abilities and technology remain a mystery to we of other races."_

Zelda groaned. _I already knew that!_

 _"They swear those of their tribe to secrecy. However, there has been a rare occurrence of Sheikah giving information to those trusted enough - those of other races."_

Zelda sighed, closing the book. _How is this helpful?_

Then came a knocking at Zelda's door. Zelda stood, her joints popping as she stretched, and made her way to the door.

She pulled it open, and there stood a maid, the hero stiffly standing to the side.

"A message, Your Highness," the servant said, standing awkwardly outside Zelda's study door. She held out a letter, which Zelda accepted.

She noted the insignia of the Rito stamped onto the envelope. She peeled it open delicately, before pulling out the parchment inside.

 _"Dear Princess Zelda,_

 _"My work with Medoh has been going quite well. As you appear to be fond of this Sheikah technology, I thought it a fine idea to invite you to Rito Village to take a look around Medoh. Perhaps it can be an asset to your research?_

 _"If this idea pleases you, simply send a reply with the date of your most probable time and date of your arrival. I will have to set up quarters and such for you and your knight."_ Zelda noticed that the word "knight" was smudged, as if it had been erased before being rewritten. _Most likely a simple correction of a misspelled word,_ she reasoned.

 _"Most sincerely,_

 _"Revali, Rito Champion and Archer Extraordinaire."_

Zelda dismissed the servant and went to her desk. She could rarely ask her father in person for anything, despite being his daughter. So she pulled out a scroll, an ink jar, and a quill, quickly writing a letter to her father asking permission. She could only hope that he'd agree, and she silently plead that he would not turn it into some pilgrimage.

* * *

Link released a relieved breath as soon as he knew he was completely out of earshot. The guard had been often forgetting to send a replacement at night… _heh, knight_ … Link quickly brushed the thought out of his head, knowing that it was undignified to make jokes, as Impa constantly pointed out.

Moving on, it had been a while since Link had had a free night ( _no puns, Link!_ ). He rarely had the opportunity to sleep, though he wasn't getting much anyway. The little sleep he did get was certainly not in the stuffy barracks that were constantly filled with the yelling of fellow guards. In fact, he rarely went to the barracks. He preferred sleeping outside, with the fresh air and whispering of leaves above him lulling him to sleep.

It was also easier to hide his fearful and wild self that came to him when he woke. No one needed to know about the nightmares that haunted him in his sleep - he remembered with a pang of guilt how he had forced his pain onto Liari and Impa.

As he snuck out of the castle ("snuck" being walking quietly through the halls, the guards on watch completely ignoring him), he silently reminded himself that all of that was in the past. Liari and Impa wouldn't have to worry about him anymore.

Using the least used path out of Castle Town (he hadn't bothered changing his tunic, and that in itself would draw attention, hood or no), he slipped out into the fields of Hyrule.

He breathed in the fresh air the moment he left the walls and got away from the guards. The air of the castle's city was so stiff and stuffy. It may have been much better than that of the castle ( _so many eyes_ …), but Link knew he would always prefer the open air.

Link walked for a while, knowing precisely where he was going. There was a small wood not far from the castle. No person had ever gone there more than himself. That was probably because they thought nothing of it, too busy preparing for the destructive force that was Calamity Ganon.

Link quickly found his favorite tree - a wide trunked willow with its vines draping overhead. When he sat beneath it, he thought of all of the things the elderly tree had seen. If Link had a guess, it was at _least_ a hundred years old. Nature always seemed to have wisdom far greater than any human soul Link had ever met. They cared for each other, and were not judgemental. They weren't selfish, and most were intelligent creatures. Many in the castle feared any sort of wildlife, but Link found every ounce of it fascinating and too incredible for any one person to comprehend.

Link settled himself under the willow, closing his eyes and thinking of the things it may have seen and heard. This tree had probably lived through times of peace and war. It wouldn't surprise Link if this tree knew more than the wisest of kings - no offense to His Royal Highness, of course. But in Link's mind, no person knew more about the land than the beasts who roamed it.

 _Heh… Rhoa-_ Link quickly cut himself off, knowing that, not only was it undignified, but it was quite disrespectful to the king.

 _"I find it humorous, Master,"_ Fi stated.

 _It's still disrespectful,_ Link replied mentally. _I'm not allowed to make jokes, anyway. The people don't want someone who jokes and laughs and_ feels _like an ordinary person. They want - and_ need _\- a weapon._

Fi did not reply, and it wasn't long before Link knew why. He heard footsteps from nearby, the one approaching either making a clumsy attempt to sneak up on him or not caring whether he heard.

When the footsteps stopped, sounding as if only a short distance from his left, Link cracked his left eye slightly, recognizing the silhouette despite the darkness.

Instead of greeting her, Link shut his eyelid again.

"Why have you been avoiding me, Link? I saw you at the library, but you ignored me."

Link decided not to reply. He knew that Liari wouldn't understand.

Link heard Liari sigh and move closer to him. "It's not healthy, the way you've been isolating yourself. You don't have to go through any of this nonsense alone."

 _But I do._

"I've been busy," Link lied, feeling himself wince. He had never been a good liar. "They've been forgetting to send guards to take my place at night, so all my free time has been spent sleeping." He wasn't completely lying. They _had_ been forgetting.

"Clearly that is not so," Liari said. Link could hear the eye roll in her voice. "I mean, the being busy and the guards is probably true. But you've _never_ been good at sleeping."

 _I used to sleep like a rock. That was a long time ago, though._ "That's why I need to use more of it to sleep," Link said truthfully.

"Then why are you here?" Liari huffed. Her voice was beginning to sound more frustrated.

"It's easier to sleep out here. Have you seen the barracks?"

Liari signed. "You still haven't talked to me when I've seen you. Does this have to do with Impa?" Liari asked.

Well, Impa _had_ been the one to tell him to be more careful. But in the end, it was his idea. "No, not particularly," Link answered honestly.

"There are rumors about you, you know," Liari said quietly. "They fear you because of your 'lack of emotion.'"

"With fear comes respect," Link replied, "and a hero is nothing if not respected. That's what they need from me, isn't it?"

Liari managed to sigh again. "You've been avoiding me because of the _other_ rumors, though, haven't you?" Liari seemed to take the dragging silence as an answer. "You have."

"They can't be thinking things like that about the _Hylian Champion_ ," Link said, putting tension on the title unconsciously. "After all, the _hero_ is _perfect_. The _champion_ has no _flaws_ …" Link trailed off. "I'm sorry. You don't need to hear all this."

"Yes, I do, Link," Liari huffed, her usual personality coming through. Link opened his eyes for the first time and looked at her. Her scarlet eyes gleamed with passion, reflecting the little moonlight that filtered through the leafy barrier above. "I don't fear you - I fear _for_ you. You can't isolate yourself like this!"

Link looked away from his friend's face and stood, stretching. "I'm sorry, Li. Maybe someday I'll be able to talk to you again. But for now... this is the way it needs to be." _Looks like I'm sleeping in the barracks tonight._

Link did not notice Liari shiver at the use of the final phrase. She had not expected Link to pull Impa's specialty - "The Way it Needs to Be" Card. _But Impa's the one who put him up to this_ , she thought angrily. Maybe not directly, but she had definitely put the idea into his mind. _His poor, suffering mind._

Liari made no move to stop Link as he disappeared into the shadows of the night, the only thoughts in her head filled with rage at her mentor.

* * *

 **I'm sorry this is a bit later than usual! I'm going to be honest - I completely forgot it was Monday and only just got to transferring all of this to the site. Oops! Sorry!**

 **This chapter isn't as well done as they usually are. I wanted to get this out as soon as I could, and I still have to do all the reviews. The Doc Manager also screwed it all up, so I had to go through and redo all of the italics. I didn't go through and fix everything I could find... so if you find any mistakes, it would be absolutely WONDERFUL if you told me where they were and what they were, review or PM.  
**

 **This was a harder chapter to write. I wanted to fill the pages, so there might be a lot of rambling nonsense in this one - and it's still a shorter chapter! Once again, if you could let me know if you find anything or have any suggestions as to how to improve, it would be great!**

 **Secret review phrase is "Chicken." What? I've gotta keep this interesting!**

 **Thank you for all of your support!**

 **Sincerely (maybe?),**

 **Ari**


	12. Chapter 11: Ranting

**Guest Reviews:**

 **notaname: BAD! You need sleep! *Scream* Sorry, I'm a hypocrite. I have crazy bad insomnia, so much so that I tend to lay awake thinking most of the _knight_ (sorry, I'll go home now). But the fact that you STILL reviewed makes me feel appreciated. I didn't know that my writing was THAT good (XD). Yup, lots and lots of work! That's why I don't have a social life! All I do with my free time is draw, write, crush the keys on the piano, write, get attacked by cats, write... etc. Aw, thank you! They say that the person we are harshest on is ourselves, and I am like, 99.99999999999999999 (repeated) percent sure that that statement was true. OOH! I like that idea! And Zelda can say, "That would've been a piece of **_cake,_ **even without you!" Hah, get it? Because you accidentally posted the review at a weird autocorrect? Funnily enough, autocorrect just corrected the word autocorrect for me. I had no idea it was just one word! :O Anyway, I'll continue this at reply 2.0. (the second review) to make this reply seem somewhat less lengthy.**

 **notaname (2.0): Don't worry about it! It happens! Too bad about it not being "Cake." It would've been interesting! "When Zelda reached the gigantic cake monument, it looked very enticing." (LATER) "After tracking the trail of the princess, Link found Zelda at the place where the world's largest cake had once been. It was gone, and Zelda had crumbs on her face. Link did not have the slightest idea where the monument went." THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: CASE OF THE MISSING CAKE. It'll be sixty five chapters, and at the end, they'll find out that Zelda was the one who framed Kirby for it. Then the king will wonder what's for dinner. MOVING ON (why on earth did I make a CDI reference? *Shivers*)! Hmm... I'm not sure Link would've let anyone catching him at a moment like that, but that would show how frustrated he was at himself... HMMMM... Yeah, not a bad idea! In fact, I could do that when she runs of to the shrine (that's not spoiler 'cause you've seen the cutscenes... right?). I have a fun story for that part! I would totally donate, but I'm saving money for a nice drawing tablet... and I'm also a money hoarder. I can give you a... a pencil? Wait, I'm a pencil hoarder, too... uh... eh, I'll give you... support! YES! Support! I personally prefer more breaks in between rather than a longer summer break, but that's just me (in case you didn't know, I'm REALLY WEIRD!). I thought that was funny! They really represented that they were flipping everything around in Zelda... literally (haha, get it? Because they switched the - oh, never mind.). Oh, phew! I almost had to add you to the li- PURAH, NU! NOT THAT ONE! I meant that one guy that I really hate that's over THERE! Wait... I don't feel so good... | Well, have a nice week!  
**

 **ROLL THE TAPE!**

 _ **Chapter 11: Ranting**_

Zelda, having been granted permission by her father, was currently packing her supplies onto her steed for the trip to Rito Village. Unfortunately...

" _Return no later than necessary. If I hear of any last minute trip decisions, I will have to ground you to the castle for a month."_

What with that last statement from her father, Zelda thought it preferable to stay on track. Not that she'd have to worry about it, anyway, what with her _appointed knight_ following her. He would probably steer her right back on track if she so much as took a single step off the path.

Then again, she realized with a start as she dropped her diary into the saddle bag, she had never heard him speak. She had never heard anyone comment on his silence, either. Perhaps he was mute, and she was simply oblivious to a fact that all around her were already aware of?

She glanced at the knight out of the corner of her eye. Unlike the white stallion she was preparing, dubbed "Storm", the hero's horse was a chestnut mare with a snowy white mane. The mare looked a strong breed of draft horse, which wasn't too surprising. Draft horses were common to soldiers, as they could carry one that was heavily armored.

 _Even his_ horse _seems fond of him,_ Zelda thought resentfully as the mare nudged the knight's shoulder playfully, while the knight remained blank-faced.

She turned back to Storm, placing a notebook for her research in the saddle bag. That was the last of her things, so she turned to her knight, hand gripping the reins to keep her stubborn horse in place.

The knight was packing a final bag onto his steed. The mare had more to carry than Zelda's horse, as it was Sir Link's job to keep all of the rations.

"Are you finished now?" Zelda asked formally, though the slightest rudeness slipped into her tone.

The knight turned to her and gave a stiff, curt nod. It seemed he either hadn't noticed her tone or wasn't showing it.

It was then that Zelda realized she really hadn't heard a single word from him. _Maybe he_ is _mute…_ though Zelda knew it would be extremely rude to ask such a thing. If he really was capable of speech, she was sure she would hear it sooner or later. After all, she was stuck with him.

"Let's be off, then," Zelda said quickly when she noticed the tense silence. "If we want to reach Hyrule Ridge Inn before sundown, it's best to get going."

With another nod from the perfect knight, Zelda led her steed out of the stables.

* * *

Impa had been doing paperwork when a pounding knock on her office door interrupted her thoughts. She looked up slowly, sensing the presence beyond the wooden barrier.

"Enter, Liari," Impa said tiredly.

The teen threw open the door to Impa's office, her rage heating the room.

"I assume you are not here for a lesson?" Impa guessed, though she knew exactly what Liari was here for. Angry thoughts were always the easiest to read.

"Link has isolated himself! Even from _me_!" Liari ranted. "You know better than anyone that he needs companions at this time - now more so than ever before!"

"What makes you believe that it is I that put these ideas into his head?" Impa asked tiredly.

"You told him to be more wary around us to prevent rumors! And now that there _are_ rumors, he's completely cutting himself off from us!" Liari huffed.

"I told him to be wary," Impa said, "not to isolate himself. I'm sure he'll talk to us, so long as no one is around."

"You don't understand!" Liari growled. "He ignored me _completely_ in the library!"

"Was he accompanying the princess?"

Liari did not reply. Her thoughts said it all.

"He wants to appear strong," Impa said. "A hero does not show weakness. People want a hero that is nothing less than perfect. Link wishes to live up to that expectation, and because of this, he needs to distance himself from others." Impa knew the feeling all too well, though the boy had thought it up _himself_ rather than...

" _You are to become a leader to the Sheikah, Impa. You must hide your passionate emotions. A leader does not show weakness, for those who follow them seek someone that is no less than perfect. Distance yourself from your need for companionship. You may have friends, but from here on, you are alone."_

"He's… he needs help, Impa!" Liari cried out. "You can't let him do this to himself. He has a weight that is _exponentially_ larger than yours. You may be able to handle such things alone, but he…" Liari's voice cracked. "...he needs help… how can one who is endangering their own wellbeing save all of _Hyrule_?"

"Why don't you ask Link?" Impa asked coolly. _That boy has done more than anyone will ever know - including himself._

"He hasn't saved Hyrule yet," Liari argued. "And at this rate, it won't be happening anytime soon."

"You should have more faith in him," Impa scolded, hiding her surprise at Liari's lack of faith. "He's like a brother to you, is he not? With your attitude, it's no wonder his self esteem has been plummeting at such an incredible rate."

Liari looked down shamefully.

"We cannot make Link's decisions for him," Impa said sternly. "We cannot force him to confide in us, either. However, we can help him bear the weight of his burden by silently supporting him. You realize," Impa continued, "that he has done the same for you many times?"

Liari nodded, head still bowed low in shame. "That just makes it more difficult for me. He's always been there for me, even when I don't make the best decisions."

"Well," Impa started, "perhaps it would help you understand him better if you actually _bothered_ to attend lessons. He went through many of them himself, you know."

Liari's head shot up, a strange look on her face. "...You're trying to come up with reasons for me to stop avoiding classes? At a time like _this_?"

"I am being quite serious," Impa shot back. "Unlike you, Link takes my lessons seriously. Did you ever consider that they may have influenced some of his actions?"

Liari opened her mouth to retort, before shutting it shortly afterward. Moments later, Liari finally replied. "...Yes?"

Impa sighed. "Finally learning _vidensia_ might aid you as well."

"...You make a good point," Liari admitted quietly. "But I feel like _reading his mind_ would be invading his privacy and betray his trust in me, causing him to isolate himself even _more_."

"He can't isolate himself more than he already has," Impa pointed out. "Think about it. He's shut off his emotions, pushed away his only support, and, though not voluntarily, has accepted a position as _Princess Zelda's_ Appointed Knight."

Liari drew in a sharp breath. "That's it!"

Impa gave Liari a rare confused look, unaware of what it was Liari was thinking, as the girl's thoughts were rushing by at an incredible pace. "What?"

"The princess has many of the same struggles as Link, doesn't she?" Liari asked.

Impa nodded, eyebrow cocked. "I suppose they do."

"If they became _friends,_ " Liari continued, Impa narrowing her eyes at that last word, "then they could equally distribute the weight on their shoulders. Not only would Link have someone to open up to, but the princess would have someone to do the same! It's a win-win, right?"

"You misunderstand, Liari," Impa said, a slight harshness in her tone. "Link wouldn't dare become close to the princess on his own. The princess would have to make the first move towards friendship." _Which is highly unlikely, considering she detests Link and everything about him._ Impa thought it wise to exclude those last thoughts from her statement.

" _Then_ we just put the princess up to it!" Liari said excitedly. "It's the perfect solution!"

Impa sighed, leaning her head on her hand. "I'll consider it. However, if I have still not made my decision or decide against it by the time they return, _do not do anything to influence the princess._ Am I clear?"

"What if they become friends on their own?"

"Then we have no say," Impa answered firmly. "Now get out of here… unless you want to finally have a lesson?"

"Actually," Liari began, "I wouldn't mind learning a bit of the code of the Sheikah Warrior."

Impa nodded, knowing Liari's reasoning."Then we'll begin."

* * *

" _Today we arrived at Rito Village. My appointed knight is quite mysterious. I am still not sure if he is capable of speech or not. I did all of the speaking myself at the stable we rested at last night, though I suppose I didn't give him much of a chance._

" _He's so silent, even in movement. I have not seen a single change in his blank stare, and it makes me wonder whether he even feels emotions. He is so stiff and disciplined that it makes me wonder if he was ever a carefree child. I highly doubt it._

" _He truly is the perfect knight. It makes me wonder how he hadn't reached the rank of general. After all, he must have been trained at the castle his whole life… unless he began somewhere else. It is strange to realize that I know nothing of his background. I feel I would have heard of a young, prodigy knight._

" _Tomorrow Revali is taking me to Divine Beast Vah Medoh to research the construction._

" _It is time I get to sleep. It will surely be a long day tomorrow."_

* * *

 **EDIT: I'M SORRY! I FORGOT THE FREAKING SECRET REVIEW PHRASE! SHAME UPON ME, AND ALL OF MY... UH... CATS. *Clears throat* Secret review phrase (not really a secret, but *shrugs*) shall be... cake! YES! CAKE! There we go. Sorry about that.**

 **I recall the conversation between Impa and Liari being fun to write (I finished it last week, as is the way of my writing schedule). Turns out Liari is a ZeLink shipper (kind of, sort of, not really XD). Hey, whatever floats her boat.**

 **That last entry was me trying to fill in the pages, while also skipping all of the traveling segments. Smart, eh? "Wow, you're _amazing_!" Thanks, Mom.**

 **Huh. These Author's Notes seem so _short_ now that I reply to all the reviews via PM. *GASP* ALMOST FORGOT THE GUEST REVIEWS! Imma go do that right now. BRB (Ew, text lingo).**

 **Okay, I'm BACK! So, Pi day was just a few days ago. I memorized 21 digits of Pi for the occasion (not to toot my own horn or anything, but... TOOOOOOT!).**

 **3.14159265358979323846... my favorite number.**

 **So... I'm trying to make a cover for this story. I've been working on it for MONTHS, but all of the stuff I've drawn just doesn't seem to fit! Any ideas? I'm a bit desperate XD**

 **ANYWHO... looks like that's all. REVIEW! Hope you enjoyed!  
**

 **Sincerely (insert synonyms for "maybe"),**

 **Ari**


	13. Chapter 12: A Thousand Rupees

_**Guest Reviews:**_

 _ **James** **Birdsong:**_ **Why thank you! :3**

 ** _notaname_ : Oh boy... this is a long review. I shouldn't have decided to do these when it's almost bedtime... OH WELL! That first statement is a bit... **_**contradictory**._ **Then again, I'm told that if you aren't super active, it makes it harder for your body to fall asleep because it hasn't used a ton of energy. I'm also told that screens keep you awake because they mimic daylight... wait a second... ANYWAY, moving on. As not healthy as it is to stay up until 12 am to write a review on a story (like I _totally_ haven't done that before), I appreciate the compliment! Yeah, I play the piano a bit. I just got back into it. I was in lessons for a while when I was younger, and I just started up again about a year ago. I can play other instruments, too! I did learn a little violin when I was younger (I was in way too much crap back then), and I'm not too shabby with the ocarina (mine is 3-D printed and sounds like a recorder). I see what you did there (XD). I'm like, 96 percent sure that everyone is the harshest on themselves. Probably. Maybe? OH, THE HORROR! A CDI REFERENCE! (I'm dying over here XD.) Turns out people also tend to point out attributes in others that they personally have and is one of the reasons they're harsh on themselves. Interesting, right? Sorry, I talk/write too much. MOVING ON... Well, at least it wasn't a giant block of text. I more meant that it makes it more digestible, if that makes sense. It's not healthy to shove an entire cake into your mouth, but it's healthier (as healthy as eating cake can be) to eat it in pieces and bite-sized chunks... eh, I get too crazy with metaphors. SPEAKING OF CAKE, yup! Zelda is secretly a ninja-cake-stealer-person (it's a working title). She probably has a metabolism rate so high we mere mortals cannot compare to her majesty. Somehow she doesn't have diabetes, either! Huh, that's a good point. She'll have to frame Purah instead, because Purah has the Infinity Gauntlet, now. I like that idea, but I already have Link's past planned out pretty well, and - crap, the Spoiler Police (or as the cool kids say it, "Po-po."). Maybe I can do a oneshot about it or something. Yeah, maybe Link can just do something subtle but still incredibly strange considering his current persona? I dunno. I'll figure it out. Wait, your friend has a drawing tablet? Maybe it's about time that I perfect teleportation... I MEAN, I'm not planning anything! I would probably do it Zelda style and wear a lynel mask or something. But that's just me. ...That's kind of true. We are all money hoarders, aren't we? Actually, that's not taking into account those people who blow all their money the moment they get it. I think I'm alone in my "More breaks in between" opinion. Huh. Didn't know that one. ...Wow. Why are you carrying a tranquilizer gun around?**

 ** _notaname (strikes back)_ : To be fair, I forgot the secret review phrase too, so... eh, we can't be perfect. Funny you mention sunsets... well, you'll see. **

**_notaname (Three strikes! Here's your invisible frozen yogurt coupon! Congrats!):_ OOOOH, that explains that. Well, have a nice week!**

 **ROLL THE TAPE! Seriously, Kitten-Cat, I need that. I can't have you getting tape stuck all over yourself, that's just WEIRD!**

 _ **Chapter 12: A Thousand Rupees**_

" _How about you meet me at the platform during the princess's meeting? It's not as if they'll need you there - the elder has some of the best Rito guards accompanying him."_

Link had been in no position to refuse his fellow champion. Besides, Princess Zelda _clearly_ needed a break from his presence. He had an idea as to why the princess disliked him - something about envy and the Master Sword, as Urbosa had pointed out during the "Hero Ceremony" or whatever it was called. However, thinking of the ceremony brought back caused him to remember how Revali had addressed him.

 _Boy._

Link's mask wasn't firm enough, it seemed. He understood that now. There had to be some way to reinforce it…

 _But how?_

Link decided to think on it more later as he stepped down onto the platform. There was no sign of the navy feathered champion, so Link took it upon himself to get a better look at the scenery.

The view was truly remarkable, what with the river below and the purple mountains in the distance. Link expected that sunrises around here were breathtaking.

That was when Link realized he had relaxed his shoulders, and he quickly tensed his posture again.

" _You're a strong boy - you need to demonstrate that through your posture. If you keep slouching like a rubber tree, you'll be underestimated… though that may not be bad. It could lead to an advantage in battle, as the opponent will go easy."_

That was before he had become champion, though. Before he had had so many eyes constantly watching his every move. If he was underestimated, it would send the wrong message - that the Calamity would slay them all because their champion was a lazy kid.

Link's eyes swept over the horizon again, committing it all to memory. Hylia knew he needed some good thoughts racing through his mind.

* * *

Revali had had very few interactions with the Hylian Champion, yet in each of them he had never heard the boy speak a word, let alone show emotion. Well, he supposed there was the image on the Sheikah Slate that Lady Purah had taken. The Hylian had looked completely flustered, but afterwards… back to a blank-faced _rock_.

He hadn't heard the knight, but when he glanced towards the platform, he was surprised to see him there, stiff shouldered and waiting. _Silent in movement, too, eh?_

Revali wondered if he could trigger some sort of emotion out of the knight. If he could prove how unqualified the Hylian Champion was, perhaps they would give the great Revali a greater role in the battle against Calamity Ganon. However... if he wanted to prove his suspicions, he would have to find out what made the emotionless rock tick.

The first thing was strength. Did the Hylian Champion take pride in his strength and achievements? If he was shown as weak or inferior, did he become angry? Revali recalled the moment Sir Link had attempted to sneak away after the unsuccessful attempt at a formal "photo," as the princess called those true to life images. Was it because it depicted a moment of weakness?

Revali, instead of making his way to his fellow champion, glided down to the small outcropping below the platform. He then crouched low, closing his eyes.

 _Maybe my ability will shock him. Make him envious. Will I trigger some sort of rage?_

Revali would find out. That was the point of it, after all.

Hoping that it would be successful, Revali willed his gale to life. The first few gusts swirled beneath him, before they erupted below, lifting Revali into the air with great force.

The ability was still new, but Revali practiced with it regularly. He could now twist expertly in the gale.

When he reached the peak, he was well above the platform, the knight below readjusting his stance to be more sturdy in the sudden wind. Making good use of the air beneath him, Revali glided down to the platform and landed with flourish on the fence post.

He smirked at the Hylian Champion. "Impressive, I know. Very few can achieve a mastery of sky. Yet I," Revali continued, gesturing with his wing, "have made an art of creating an updraft that allows me to soar. It's considered to be quite the masterpiece of aerial techniques, even among the Rito. With proper utilization of my superior skills, I see no reason why we couldn't easily dispense with Ganon."

Revali's prideful smirk dwindled slightly. _Still no expression?_ Perhaps the knight had gotten better at masking emotion. _Or he's just stupid._ Revali saw that as more realistic. That would actually explain a lot. Absence of emotion could be due to the fact that the boy had been trained as a weapon, and nothing else. Perhaps there wasn't a lick of intelligence in that little brain of his.

Revali leapt down from the fence post, folding his wings behind his back as he approached the Hylian. "Now then, my ability to explore the firmament is certainly of note…" Revali paused, turning on his talon and placing a wing over the short boy's shoulder. "But let's not - pardon me for being so blunt - let's not forget that I am the most skilled archer of all the Rito."

Still _nothing_ from the boy. Revali pulled backwards and began to circle around the Hylian. "Yet despite these truths, it seems that I have been tapped to merely assist you." Revali reached the front of the boy and pointed at him accusingly. "All because you happen to have that little darkness-sealing sword on your back."

Revali turned to the side, looking away from the Hylian. "I mean it's just… asinine." _I doubt that boy has ever done anything noteworthy in his entire life._ "Unless…" Revali's eye darted back to the champion. "you think you can prove me wrong?"

Revali got right up close to the Hylian's face, knowing that those of their race were extremely sensitive about close contact. However, the boy did not budge, his expression every bit as stony as it had been before. "Maybe we should settle this one on one?"

Sighing internally, Revali pulled away and assumed a posture of faux thoughtfulness. "But where...? Oh, I know! How about up there?"

Revali threw his wing upward towards the Divine Beast that circled above. Then Revali lowered his wing, smirking at the champion. "Oh, you must pardon me!" Revali laughed, moving his wings as if apologizing sincerely. "I forgot that you have no way of making it up to that Divine Beast on your own!"

Revali turned and threw his wings wide out, glancing at the Hylian Champion over his shoulder.

Revali launched himself upward, summoning only a small gust to launch himself upward. He turned in flight to call back down to the rock that was the Hylian Champion. "Good luck sealing the darkness!"

And with that Revali departed, soaring gracefully to the Divine Beast above, his mission to prove the knight weak failing.

* * *

Link released a silent sigh as Revali disappeared into the Divine Beast above. The Rito Champion was extremely prideful, but that did not change the fact that he had made very excellent points.

Revali had proven his worth. He had broken the boundaries of aerial combat with his ability. That, combined with his superb archery skills… he was a champion far worthier of his title than Link.

 _Revali has been accepted. He was chosen for his skills… not because he drew a magic sword out of a rock._

" _You are skilled as well, are you not?"_

 _Not particularly_ , Link replied, surprised to hear Fi's voice. For reasons unknown to him, she had been silent within the last few weeks. _There are many who are more skilled than I._

" _As far as I know, you have never been bested it combat."_

 _No._ Link rolled his eyes. _I've been defeated plenty of times. That happens when you're put up against_ older, more experienced knights. _Which you should have chosen, by the way._

" _I apologize, Master, but I did not have a say in who the chosen was,"_ Fi said. " _It was a decision made years before I was given a consciousness."_

"How is that even-?" Link asked, irritated, out loud, before quickly silencing himself and resuming his mask. _How is that even possible? You existed long before I was even_ born. _There were chosen heroes before me! How could they have chosen_ then _?_

" _I apologize, but I am not permitted to speak to you about that subject."_

 _So I am not allowed to understand what the heck is up with your logic?_

A paused. Then a quiet chime came.

" _You will."_

 _What do you mean, Fi? What are you not telling me?_

Fi was silent, and after several moments, Link realized she would not reply. He glanced at the horizon, only then noticing that the sun was getting lower. He doubted the princess was finished with her meeting (so was the way of politics), so he decided to scout out a good place to watch the sunset.

He thought momentarily. _The sun rises in the north-east… so it sets in the south-west._ And if Link's "internal compass" was correct (his "internal compass" being the accurate reference the landmarks in the distance), if he looked directly off the platform, towards the horizon, that would be north-east. _Huh. Nice view right here, then._ But it wasn't sunrise. _Sunset_ was in the opposite direction.

Link looked up behind him, looking thoughtfully at the large central rock pillar that Rito was built around.

 _I suppose that would be a good spot for an unobstructed view._ It wouldn't be a difficult climb, and he'd be able to get back down before the princess noticed his absence.

 _Hopefully no one notices me up there._ _After all, a knight is not supposed to participate in meaningless, pleasurable activities._ It wasn't meaningless to Link, of course, but it was viewed as a trivial waste of time to others.

Link walked as silently as he could past the elder's hut. Fortunately for him, the Rito Elder had drawn thick, wool curtains over the normally open entrance to provide privacy for the political meal.

Link caught a whiff of the meal they were eating. It smelled _wonderful._

Link ignored the way his stomach growled. _You just ate, glutton._ Well… he had eaten at around noon. Impa had told him that, as an appointed knight, he would have to start eating less so that his own meal time did not affect the princess's schedule. It would also use up a lesser amount of the rations, so that the princess could continue eating the same amount on journeys.

" _Eat one big meal a day and snack every now and then,"_ Impa had said.

Link had decided early in the mornings was the best time, but the princess had been up and about far earlier than usual - just a short while after himself. Link had accompanied her around Rito Village, where she greeted the more prominent members of the race. He ate at the same time as the princess, eating as much as he could as quickly as possible… all while drawing the least amount of attention to himself.

He thought he still got a few weird looks. But that was better than being stared at awkwardly the whole time. He called it a success. _Perhaps a monstrous appetite will be good for my image._ Though he still doubted _many_ noticed.

Link examined the wall of rock before him. He noted that the wall tilted outward before the halfway point, knowing that would make the climb a bit more difficult. Link, however, had participated in climbs that were far more… risky. Those particular climbs had been reckless, one even costing him the use of his arm for six months, but the ones that were successful were always worth it… so long as Impa never ended up finding out. Link suppressed a shiver.

After figuring out the safest path, Link glanced around, ensuring that all the Rito were indoors, before leaping onto the rock and expertly scaling the wall.

It didn't take as long as he had thought it would to reach the best spot. He hadn't been able to reach the very top, as the rock jutted _way_ too far outward (although he was well practiced in climbing, Link definitely couldn't _defy gravity_ ), but he had found a comfortable spot that had a fine view of the south-west horizon.

He waited patiently, feeling the warm rock beneath him. The sun sank lower, painting the sky a mix of orange, red, and gold, the angle of the light causing it to hit the very spot he was sitting.

Link let himself smile. Nature truly was magnificent, and sunsets like this reminded him of better days.

* * *

The boy, no older than seven or eight, sat beside his mother on the lush grass, squirming excitedly. His mother chuckled at his youthful antics.

"Calm down, my boy," she laughed. "Patience is a virtue, you know."

"I know, Mama," the boy groaned. "But I wish I could do something while we wait!"

"Good things come to those who wait," his mother said wisely. "You don't need to always be doing something, either. They say boredom is one of the greatest sources of creativity."

"...What? How?"

His mother rolled her eyes. "Well, thinking is good for you, my boy. Always being entertained won't teach you anything."

"Oh," the boy mumbled softly. "Duh." He made a gesture with his hand to his head that resembled an explosion.

His mother smiled and pulled him into her grasp, eyes trained firmly on the horizon. "Look," she said quietly, as if trying not to disturb the earth below. "It's starting."

The boy grew still in her grasp, and the mother glanced momentarily at her son, smiling at the awestruck look on his face, before her eyes returned to the sky, which was bathed in rich oranges and golds.

"You see that, Link? A sunset is worth more than a thousand rupees." His mother's face shifted to a bittersweet smile. "You should always appreciate the wildlife around you. There are those that do not respect it, never take note of the wonders around them, and they live miserable lives. But those who truly see live lives of joy and thanks. Remember to be grateful, and you'll be alright."

"Okay, Mama," the boy said. He sounded unsure, but the mother knew that he would understand the whole of her words one day.

They sat in silence, watching the sun's light drip out of the horizon and allow the stars to shine and the moon to glow.

The mother turned to her boy, smiling as he yawned. "Well, I suppose it's time to get you to bed, my dear."

"I don't-!" the boy's words were interrupted by a big yawn. "I don't wanna…"

The mother scooped her son up with no resistance, making her way to their home with her boy, her _Link_ , cradled in her arms.

* * *

Link smiled bittersweetly and leaned on the rock behind him, watching as the last of the sun's light left the horizon.

 _I'm sorry I failed you._

No one was there to witness the single tear that dripped down the hero's cheek. He prefered it that way. After all, what would they think if they were to discover the truth…? No one wanted a foolish, mourning, guilt racked failure for a hero.

They need not know that it was all they had.

* * *

 **I remember this chapter being a fun one to write. Hey, look! Link's past ( _a Link to the past!_ Hahaha, okay, I'm done)! Aw, and a cute moment with lil' baby Link! Oh, and then I went and made it sad. You're welcome.**

 **Ravioli is a lovable butt-face. Who agrees? Just me? Okay.**

 **Turns out that the sun rises in the north-east in BoTW! Believe me, I'd know. I totally researched it myself (I wasn't making excuses to play Zelda! NO ONE needs excuses to play Zelda!). Some people think that it's stupid, but it's an alternate world! It's GOING to have a different daylight cycle!**

 **Sorry about replying kind of late to all the reviews (except for the guests; You guys always get replies at the same time XD). I had a busy weekend... well, more like a two-day vacation in which I had no access to a computer. But luckily I got a week ahead on my writing schedule during the days before that, so we're all good. I just wasn't able to reply because I was writing stories. Is it wrong that I'm already planning the fic for after _Before_? Heh, after _Before_... doesn't that make it the now? OKAY, I'M DONE, PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I see you, secret agents watching my every move. I won't say any names, but then again, it's _notaname_ (hah, see what I did there? I'M DONE NOW, I PROMISE!).**

 **Well... secret review phrase is "Ravioli." Yes, if you refer to Revali you must call him that.** ***cue Moana music* What can I say except** **YOU'RE WELCOME?!**

 **REVIEW! I may have missed a few things that could be fixed up, soooo... yeah. If you see anything, PM or review! Or just review! I like hearing all the theorization and such!**

 **Have a wonderful week, y'all!**

 **Sincerely (Maybe),**

 **Ari!**


	14. Chapter 13: Near Slip-Ups

**notaname: Oh dear Hylia above, this is a _long_ review! Looks like you're the only guest reviewer this time around, though, so I can split up this review to my heart's content - all while combining the three reviews.**

 **Holi? What- oh, huh. Interesting. I've never heard of it before (I live under a rock XD). My 3D-printed ocarina is... _interesting_ to say the least. Looks like an ocarina, plays like an ocarina, sounds like a recorder. I don't play it very much, because it sounds horrifying XD  
**

 **Ah. Oops. I get those two words mixed up sometimes. It happens. I LOVE THAT IMAGE OF DARK BEAST GANON, EVEN THOUGH I REALLY SHOULD BE TERRIFIED! Oh, cool! ..Whose** **Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad? *googles* OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH.  
**

 **I don't think people are actually capable of being harsher on others than they are on themselves. Wait, scratch that. I don't think GOOD people are. There are bad people out there that don't see a single flaw in themselves, but point out every flaw in other people. Well, they aren't necessarily BAD... they just really aren't very good either. After all... that's why we've had a lot of suicide issues. O_o**

 **No. We do not speak of the CDI games... or the Zelda cartoon. "Well, _excuse_ me, Princess." Turns out we may be getting a Zelda anime, soon, though. HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**

 **Nu! You've seen my secrets! No one should know about my trying to make a metaphor work for my own devices! IT NEVER WORKS!**

 **I've eaten these GIGANTIC cupcakes in one bite. People looked at me a bit weird, but it was totally worth the sugar overload. Maybe not eating for one hundred years makes her super hungry? Wait, shouldn't she be like, fifty pounds underweight? Actually... shouldn't Zelda be DEAD? How DID she survive for one hundred years with no nutrition, no sleep, no human interaction, no vitamin D, NOTHING! Zelda can defy PHYSICS, too?! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!**

 **Same. Let's just pretend I never wrote that, eh? I thought that she would just snap and the entire cake would disintegrate, but I dunno. We don't really call cops "the po-po" where I live, either. We had some Canadian speaker come to our school and talk about social media safety, and he seemed to think that "po-po" was what the cool kids called police.**

 **My friends say I teleport, too. I like to think that I've gotten very good at sneaking around. When I was younger, my insomnia would keep me up really late, so I would sneak downstairs and get a glass of milk. I was NEVER CAUGHT! Probably. Never mind, turns out my mom knew somehow. Mother figures know ALL!**

 **I've never seen It (not a big fan of horror movies), but if you did that, I think that rather than wetting myself I would be laughing the whole time and be looked at like a lunatic (it's not a new image people have of me, though, so it's FINE).**

 **Interesting idea! The sort of concept I have for the Sheikah makes them very secretive, but if Zelda voiced her doubts to Impa, then _maybe_. **

**Oh, yeah, I heard about that! I actually translated what it said on the closed doors of the shrines ("Off Dungeon). I used that in my old story and had Liari translate it, but it's not an event that is ever going to happen now. DON'T READ THE ORIGINAL.**

 **All of my money is kept inside a microwave sized safe with a word key code. THAT safe is inside another, which is inside another, which is inside another. Each individual safe has it's own password. HAH, just kidding. I keep it in a duct tape wallet my cousin/best bud made for me.**

 **I... I just have pencils and paper in my pockets that I doodle on when I'm bored in math class (XD). All that? Did you cut off your finger, too?**

 **TAKE THE DARK CHOCOLATE FROZEN YOGURT, PLEASE! I HAVE ENOUGH EYES ON ME... *glances at the cat staring evilly towards me***

 **The cats are EVIL.**

 **That's all, then! Have a wonderful week! XD**

* * *

 **Sorry about the long review. ONWARD, TO VICTORY!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 13: Near Slip-Ups**_

Zelda had spent the whole of the previous day exploring and photographing Vah Medoh. For reasons unknown to her, Revali had decided against allowing Sir Link on board, though Zelda was quite alright with that. Any moment without the knight's eyes on her back was a good moment.

But now that day was over. She had slept in the inn of Rito Village, having a restful sleep, only to awaken to her knight standing stiffly outside the door, both horses packed and ready outside.

So off they rode through the plains, the knight riding a few paces behind her.

They were a few hours away from the stable when something popped into her head - A legend about the Master Sword. She wasn't sure why, but it made her curious.

For the first time in the long ride, she glanced towards the knight, who was riding with his eyes towards the saddle.

"Sir Link," she addressed, drawing the knight's eyes to her. _Blank-faced as always,_ she thought, irritated. "I just recalled a tale I heard once about the sword that resides on your back. Something about a spirit that once lived within it?"

She thought she saw something spark in the hero's eyes, but it was gone too quick for her to be sure.

She turned back to face the path before her. "Apparently, long ago, there was a voice that spoke inside the sword. I was curious as to whether you could hear it or not."

At first, she heard nothing. This only made her more sure of the hero's muteness.

But then…

"I'm aware of the tale," said a quiet voice, shocking Zelda to the point that she stopped her steed to turn to the hero.

He looked as blank faced as usual, but there was something in his eyes… a secret?

"If I recall properly," he continued, "the spirit was put into a deep sleep many millennia ago in order to seal away an ancient evil."

Zelda was quite surprised. She had not expected the hero to know things about the story that _she_ had not. He had studied. Not only that, but there was a quiet intelligence to his voice.

Perhaps he was not as stupid as she thought.

She shook off that thought. _It's_ one _story! How does knowing that make him intelligent?_

"You did not answer my question," Zelda said. "Perhaps I should ask it more _bluntly_ and dumb it down a bit for you. The sword's voice - if there is one. Can you hear it, _Hero_?"

Zelda received complete silence on the hero's part. Sighing, she turned forward and kicked her steed back into motion.

* * *

" _It seems that my stay at Rito Village has come and gone. I write this from Tabantha stable after a long day of traveling._

" _It is of no help that my Appointed Knight has not bothered to speak a word since arrogantly correcting my inaccurate viewpoint of a fairytale. However, the fact that he became defensive and did not reply to my question intrigues me… I believe that there is something he is hiding, but I can't put my finger on it. Can he hear the voice of the Master Sword? Can he not, but he knows a different version of the tale of the sword spirit, and feels inadequate because he secretly knows that he should?_

" _That boy is infuriating, the way he struts around with that sword on his back, making all those around him feel inferior - including myself._

" _The slight idea that he had any sort of intelligence, which I mentioned in my previous entry, had faded completely. He's an arrogant boy, most likely some noble prodigy. He appears perfect in every way. In the early mornings, I've caught him training. Once I awoke hours before the sun rose, and there he was, training, training,_ training _! I know precisely what my father would say if he saw. 'If only you were more like the hero._ He _doesn't bother with silly experiments.'_

" _I feel rage at being compared to the perfect hero, but guilty at the same time, for I know they speak the truth."_

Zelda slammed her diary shut. She had never written so much in the little book, nor had she vented about a single topic. However, getting all of that jotted down had seemed to lift a weight off of her chest.

She noted that it was much later in the evening than it usually was when she turned in. She glanced over at the bed which her knight was to use.

Rather than the knight being sprawled out on the bed, drooling, she was surprised to see that he had curled up on himself, not unlike a puppy. The slight furrow of his brow as he slept showed more emotion than he ever did during his wakeful hours.

It was then that Zelda noticed she had never seen the knight actually _sleep_. He was always watching dutifully - awake when she went to sleep, awake when she arose.

It looked to her that he hadn't even meant to fall asleep, as his sword was still strapped to his back.

 _The Master Sword._

Well… to catch the knight sleeping when it seemed he hadn't meant to proved he wasn't _completely_ perfect.

 _Or perhaps he_ meant _to keep the gear on, and he's a light sleeper. Perhaps he's doing this so that no one can sneak in and murder me._

Well, she supposed that meant he was still perfect. _Wonderful._

Just when Zelda had thought she had bested the hero, he proved her wrong again - and in his _sleep_.

* * *

" _Link! No! Not my boy!"_

Link sat up with a strangled gasp. Struggling to catch his breath, he breathed deeply and slowly, despite the hasty beat of his heart.

Once he was sure he was calm enough to not trip over a pot and awaken everyone in the stable, he stood on shaky legs, making his way out of the stable.

Once he was a decent distance from the entrance, he drew the Master Sword from his back.

Link had found that the training was a good way to vent his pent up thoughts. _If I had woken just a bit later… if my breathing was just the slightest bit louder…_ He punctuated each thought with several skillful slashes.

If one variable had been different… it all would've been over for him- no, for _Hyrule_.

 _I need to be the controlled variable in this procedure. Stay calm, blank, and hide the truth - and I can't slip up the slightest bit._

It _sounded_ simple enough. He saw Impa do it on a day to day basis, though she was far better at it. She could even manage to show rare emotion and teased sometimes, mainly because she was still intimidating.

Link couldn't risk it. Impa was skilled at it, but if _he_ let his guard down the _slightest bit_ , he might just screw up everything about the image he had worked so hard to maintain.

Scratch that. He _knew_ he would screw up everything about the image he had worked so hard to maintain.

 _Life is complicated, ain't it? Fate seems to love messing with us mortals… doesn't it, Fi?_

The sword in Link's grip glowed slightly. " _I suppose you could say that, Master Link."_

Link paused in his movements, shifting his stance to a neutral position. _How was it that the goddesses chose the ones with these fates?_

" _I apologize, but I have not been informed,"_ Fi said.

 _What you said earlier states otherwise. What was it that you said? 'It was a decision made years before I was given a consciousness?' You must know_ something _._

" _I was not aware that you were seeking the reasoning behind your_ own _fate,"_ Fi said, though the strange connection between the two of them made Link doubt that. " _As I told you before, I am prohibited from giving more information on the subject than I already have."_

"Why is my fate," Link found himself whispering softly, ignoring the slight cracks in his voice, "any different than anyone else's?"

" _How it differs from, or why you were chosen?"_

"You know very well what I mean."

There was a silence in the air.

Well, not _completely_ silent. Crickets chirped and the wind whispered by, a constant presence out in the wild, and one that always seemed to lift a weight off of Link's shoulders.

He sighed, moving to continue training, when a voice met his ears and he froze in his tracks.

" _Despite what you believe, your spirit is strong. Only one with an unbreakable spirit may wield the Master Sword to its fullest potential, and only one with the strength and courage to fight can succeed.  
_

There was nothing. It was as if the whole of the world had gone silent, the only sound Link could hear being his own heartbeat, which was speeding up in pace.

The silence seemed to last forever, but deep in Link's mind he knew that it had only been a moment before he replied.

"Then we've already lost."

 _Hylia,_ Link pleaded, _I beseech you. Save them. Save them all._

He couldn't help but wonder why, _why,_ they had chosen a cowardly boy like himself to protect Hyrule from an _incarnate_ of _evil itself._

 _Please spare them. I beg of you - do not make them suffer because I'm not strong enough._

* * *

 **I apologize for the length of this chapter - this one was very difficult to write and fill, and I ended with six pages. Most chapters are seven or more, but as six was my minimum, that's what this one ended up as. At least it's better than the freaking TWO PAGE CHAPTERS in the old one! I was also feeling a lack of motivation on fixing this one (shows how much I didn't like it), so as per usual, if you catch any typos or errors, do tell me!**

 **This week is Spring Break! For me at least. Hooray! I got really lazy last week, and by lazy, I mean that I got really into a new story I'm working on. I'm not sure how many chapters I should get to there before publishing alongside _Before_ (it's a much longer story, not unlike this one), but I've written three chapters and a prologue... wow, I don't even write that much weekly for _Before_. ANYWAY, getting sidetracked. Hopefully I can get ahead on my writing schedule again this week. And maybe have time to draw or something.**

 **As per usual, review! Reviews are my motivation juice - I'm going to be honest here and say that I've never done so much and gone to such lengths with a story before. I really think that the reviews are helping me, not only to improve, but to learn how to keep at it.**

 **That's all, I believe. Have a wonderful week, everyone!**

 **Sincerely (My cat is trying to kill me),**

 **Ari**


	15. Chapter 14: Interrogation

_**Guest:**_ **Not really, but I have listened to the entire soundtrack a... few too many times. Someone I know is very obsessed with it.**

 _ **Notaname:** _**I'm doing this at 5 in the morning, so I'm going to apologize now for that. This probably won't be a great reply. It's fine! Longer reviews are great, even if they can take a while to reply to. Ocarinas really shouldn't sound like recorders, but I guess French horns probably shouldn't sound like dying birds, either, so we're even? The ocarina is nothing compared to the short time I played the violin. I... wasn't _great_. Well, the only way to improve writing is to write! SO WRITE ON (see what I did there?)! Ah, yes. Wearing sweatshirts in San Diego weather is pretty much the same thing as suicide. OH, I saw someone do that for a video. They just took that memory and edited that as Link's reply. It was great. What secrets? No, I don't know what you're talking about. *Whistles* Yeah... I read the Harry Potter series three or four times in one year. I had a problem. But now I'm back to being obsessed with Zelda, so we're good now. THE CUPCAKE WAS SO FREAKING HUGE. I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW I MANAGED TO FIT IT INSIDE MY MOUTH. Oops, caps lock. EH, it's fine. Yeah, Zelda's powers pretty much defy all laws of physics. Does that mean that if she's driving at 100 mph and had to slam on the breaks, she wouldn't have to wear a seat belt because she wouldn't fly through the windshield? I wish _I_ could do that. Seat belts are annoying! Maybe Purah could just stuff the cake with bombs. That would blast the pieces into oblivion. Canadian people (no offense, Canadians) can be weird. But not as weird as California. You need a permit to throw a frisbee on the beach! They need actual, _necessary_ laws! Like Alaska's famous "Don't shove moose out of airplanes." Mothers know all. YOU CAN'T HIDE ANYTHING FROM THEM! Except I've hidden all of my writing works because they can seem like crap sometimes. Actually... I don't laugh very hard anymore. I just kind of laugh at my own jokes and feel lonely. My poor friends have to deal with that (XD). Hmm... I could do something like that. Actually, I've _been_ planning something like that, except she goes to Impa instead *spoilers*. SHHHH. You'd think that the two themes would clash, but they totally fit together! It's so _weird_.**

 ** _notaname (2.0)_ : The original sucks. I need to print it out and burn it just so that I can feel better about that. You should be able to just google the duct tape wallets! I think they're easy enough to make. When I was in elementary school, there was this kid that made stuff out of duct tape and sold it at lunch for WAY too much money. He also MADE too much money. I really _can't_ carry all my stuff around in my pockets. I don't think I could fit a cat or the entire Zelda manga collection in a pocket. That would probably look weird XD**

 **Have a good week, y'all (y'all, _really?_ I really _am_ tired!)! ROLL THE TAPE!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 14: Interrogation**_

A mere few days had passed since her return from Rito Village before Zelda received another letter, this one bearing the seal of the Gorons.

" _Dear Princess,"_ it began. " _Sorry for the handwriting. I've never been great at it. I hope you're doing okay over there at the castle. I have a little favor I need to ask ya. See, I've been having some trouble with controlling Rudania. I heard that you've been researching the Divine Beasts, so I was hoping that you'd be able to come and help me, as long as your father's alright with it. -Daruk."_

Zelda hoped that her father would let her go to help the friendly Goron Champion. As long as he never found out that she had spent an extra day "unnecessarily" researching Revali's Divine Beast, she would probably be fine.

* * *

According to Purah, who had just left to get some more materials, Princess Zelda was going to be visiting their lab in a mere few minutes. So, rather than actually _do_ her work, Liari decided to come up with a plan.

First, perhaps, she would have to find out how the princess felt about Link. Did she tolerate him? Did she hate his guts? Or better yet, did she secretly _love_ him?

Liari doubted the last two. She was sure that the princess couldn't care less as to whether Link accompanied her or not. However, you could never be sure. For all she knew, Princess Zelda thought him a barbarian or something because of her noble status. Liari confessed that she did not know the princess very well - if at all.

All of the next steps depended on the princess's response… if Liari could manage to get one.

"Hello?"

Liari jolted in her seat. _That's the princess. Purah's not back yet!_

Liari stood up made her way to the entrance of the lab. There stood Princess Zelda, no knight around.

Liari dipped her head respectfully to the princess. "Welcome, Princess. Doctor Purah has not returned from getting more materials yet, but she will be back shortly."

"Thank you," said the princess. "What's your name? I don't believe I've run into you before."

"Liari," Liari replied with a smile. "I'm new to the field. I'm Lady Impa's apprentice, but she had to bring me with her when she was assigned to more work here. I became interested in ancient technology after that."

"That's nice," Princess Zelda said, slightly indifferently. _Oh no, I'm losing her! Quick, think of something!_

"I notice that Link is not with you," Liari blurted out. _Well, good enough._ The princess gave her a strange look. "May I ask why?"

"He has a meeting with Captain Arduum, and the rest of the day off. Are you…" Princess Zelda paused. "... _familiar_ with Sir Link?"

This would be where things got difficult. Respect Link's wishes to hide any sort of relationship with the Sheikah, or get the princess to be friends with him?

"He has also been doing some training under Lady Impa. We survivors have to stick together," Liari added with a slight grin. "May I ask what you think of him?"

The princess looked as if she wasn't quite sure what to say. "He is very… _quiet._ "

Liari gave the princess a strange look, before laughing. "Yes, I suppose you could say that. He's always prefered to be that way. But if you manage to gain his trust, he can be a loud boy - or so I'm told." Liari couldn't give away _all_ of Link's secrets.

"Really?" Princess Zelda sounded intrigued. "He's been near silent within my presence. At first I thought him mute."

 _...What?_ Link was quiet, but he usually spoke every now and then, even to strangers…

 _What has changed?_ ...Actually, that was a ridiculous question. _Everything_ had changed! But what was it that made Link shut himself out even _more_ than he already had?

"Are you well, Liari?" The princess's voice jerked Liari out of her thoughts.

Liari quickly changed her facial expression to a faux cheeriness. "Oh, yes, I'm fine."

"You froze up…"

"I'm fine," Liari repeated. "I just… thought of something, is all."

There was a slightly awkward silence

"I'm baaack!" Purah called from behind Liari, causing the younger Sheikah to wince. "Hello, Zellie. Hey, Liari, can you go get my tools and bring 'em out here?"

Liari dragged herself out of her stupor. "Of course, Purah." She hurried quickly out of the entryway, desperate to hide the many emotions that seemed to be cycling through her face, a single question plaguing her mind: _Why?_

* * *

"Well?" the captain demanded.

"I apologize, Sir," Link said blankly. "I was not aware that the princess had decided to stay a day longer than expected."

"What exactly did she spend that day doing?" Captain Arduum asked sternly.

"She conducted extra research on Divine Beast Vah Medoh, Sir," Link replied.

The captain leaned closer to Link, eyes narrowed. " _Why_?"

"She believes that it would be beneficial to gain more information on how the Divine Beasts function, Sir," Link droned. "I am in no position to argue with her."

There was a moment of silence, before a sharp pain erupted from Link's right cheek.

Link remained blank and silent as the captain lowered his hand. "The king's orders are before the princess's. If His Majesty states that she is to return _as soon as possible_ , it is your job as her Appointed Knight to enforce that. Understood?"

"Understood, Sir," Link replied blankly.

"See to it that it doesn't happen again," the captain said coldly. "You are dismissed."

With a dip of his head, Link turned and exited the captain's office, resisting the urge to raise a hand to his cheek.

 _Dear Hylia, I hope that doesn't leave a mark._ If it did, it would be no good for his image. Rumors would spread about him picking fights or something. He didn't know how they came up with the sort of exaggerated nonsense that had people whispering for weeks, but he _did_ know that he didn't need more rumors about himself. There were some quite… _disturbing_ ones, to say the least.

 _I most certainly do_ not _eat live puppies. That is simply inhumane!_

Link walked leisurely through the halls, heading towards the stables. It was finally his day off, though he knew a certain princess was far more excited about that than he was. Now that he couldn't speak to Liari and Impa (Well… he still had a lesson with Impa every now and then), he didn't quite know what to do with his free time. If he was caught doodling or reading, a few old minor hobbies of his, he would definitely get some weird looks. There weren't any cliffs around, either, and the kitchens were filled to the brim with chefs and servants, so there would be no experimenting with recipes. He didn't _need_ food, anyway.

Ignoring the way his stomach growled discontentedly, Link turned a corner…

...only to slam right into a servant girl. Link, having not expected it, was sent off balance. Putting his Sheikah training to good use, he quickly steadied himself.

The girl was not as fortunate as he. She had fallen backwards and onto her back. She remained lying their, gasping for the breath that had been knocked out of her.

Link approached her quickly. "Are you alright?" For some reason, this situation had cracked open his mask, letting concern slip into his voice.

The girl's big brown eyes focussed on him, before they widened fearfully. "Y-yes, I'm f-fine, Sir L-"

Link offered his hand. "Let me help you up."

The girl accepted it quietly, and he pulled her to her feet.

"I-I'm very sorry, S-Sir Link," she stuttered quickly. It was then Link noticed how young she was. The servant girl couldn't have been older than eleven or twelve. "I w-wasn't paying attention, and I-"

"No, it's my fault," Link interrupted. "I was lost in my thoughts, as my mentor points out all the time." Link chuckled slightly, ignoring the part of his brain that screamed, _What are you doing?! You're blowing your cover, you idiot!_ "Sorry about that."

The girl seemed completely baffled, her mouth opening and closing several times before she finally managed to respond. "Um… maybe we can settle for it being... both our faults?"

Link smiled. It had been awhile since he had last done so, and the muscles in his mouth strained from being out of practice. "Yes, let's do that."

The girl smiled as well, finally calm… before twisting into one of horror. "S-sir Link, there's a very large b-bruise forming on your face…"

Link raised a hand to his cheek at winced as he touched it. _Darn it._ "It's nothing," he said blankly. "A mere difference of opinion between my face and a wall. I told you I was clumsy!" Link forced out a chuckle. Link didn't like lying, but sometimes it was necessary. "I should be off now."

"S-so should I." The girl bowed slightly before hurrying past him.

When he was sure he was alone, Link slouched slightly and breathed out a sigh. It seemed that, rather than taking Epona for a ride right away, he would have to go to his private room in the barracks (they had decided to give him an upgrade, though he confessed that it still wasn't that much better) and spend the next hour using various powders and goops to hide his now bruised face.

He hoped that no one besides the servant girl saw him before then. Who knew what rumors they would come up with?

* * *

 **Poor Link. But hey, what's a good Zelda fan fic that doesn't include Link torture?**

 **I don't know why I thought doing this at 5 in the morning was a good idea. I mean, I still have _school_ in a few hours. Oh well. I'm probably not going to fall back asleep anyway.**

 ** _SO_ , because I'm doing this when my eyes are still drooping, there are probably a few mistakes that I missed in the chapter. If you see one, it would be GREAT if you put it in a review or PMed me or something. If there's anything that's written weird, that's probably something I should know about, too. Cookies.**

 ***GASP* I FORGOT ABOUT THE SECRET REVIEW PHRASE. Did I put one in the last chapter? SECRET REVIEW PHRASE IS COOKIES BECAUSE I'M TIRED AND I AM NOT FEELING CREATIVE RIGHT NOW.**

 **Sincerely (I'm tired, so you can't really if it's true or not),**

 **Ari**


	16. Chapter 15: Hylian Enigmas

**notaname: I have about five minutes to get the guest reviews done, so I'm sorry if this reply isn't as in depth as usual! Life can be rough, can't it? But on the bright side... it could ALWAYS be worse. *may or may not be skipping over a few lines (I still read them, though)* I am NOT a pyromaniac! How dare you suggest such a thing! It's not like I spent an hour on Saturday burning things for my own personal enjoyment! NO! LIES! Instant jaw dislocation and relocation (or whatever word should be there), eh? I only have double jointed elbows. I think that being able to dislocate your jaw like that would get better reactions out of people, though. And... Zelda can also... uh... she can probably fly to Mars/whatever-the-equivalent-of-Mars-is-in-the-Zelda-universe. She don't need no oxygen! Honestly, Purah, just set it on fire! That's the best way to destroy anything! And the most fun, of course. Uh, uh, uh, in Alaska, it's illegal to shove a moose out of an airplane. BEAT THAT, CALIFORNIA! Britain's laws take the cake though. I don't really laugh out loud very often, either. Mr. Beast's YouTube videos manage to get it out of me, though. Hmm... I dunno about the maid idea. I haven't ever done much with maids in _Before_. I should probably do maids. Oh! So does the horse riding theme! The one at night is more calm, while the one during the day sometimes make me think a guardian is chasing me and makes me wish guardians were flammable. So... there's that. OH YEAH! I forgot about that review! But yeah, I chose to rewrite it because the old one sucked. Simple enough. It feels like people do stuff with duct tape a lot in elementary school. "Here, buy this duct tape wallet for... uh... let's say $8! I definitely didn't get the duct tape at the Dollar Store!" I've taken to carrying around not only a ridiculous amount of pencils and erasers in my sweatshirt pocket, but also at least three folded up doodle sheets. I need SOMETHING to do while I'm being bored in my math classes! I am never taking two math classes ever again. I don't get the reference. I live under a rock (XD). **

_**Chapter 15: Hylian Enigmas**_

Princess Zelda stepped onto the Divine Beast Rudania with an awed expression. Link followed, keeping his own face blank, but silently admiring it all the same. It was incredible how this large hunk of rock had been created to navigate easily on Death Mountain.

"You said you were having difficulties, yes?" The princess asked Daruk, clearly trying to hide her excitement.

Daruk scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. I want it to stop, it goes. I want it to turn left, it turns right. It's like it doesn't want to do what I want it to do."

Link attempted to withhold a chuckle. _That sounds just like Epona._

It seemed, however, that a bit of the chuckle slipped out. The princess sent him a sharp glare. Link quickly wiped his face completely clean of emotion. Though the princess gave him a suspicious look, she looked away a moment later. Link heaved a silent sigh.

"Perhaps there's a bug in the system," the princess said thoughtfully. "Can you show me to the main control unit?"

Link doubted there could be a bug in the system. If he remembered right, Purah had purged the system for anything like that before the champions were chosen. Purah, if anything, was thorough when it came to Sheikah technology.

"Over here, Princess," Daruk said, leading them towards the center of the top platform. The main control unit was a large, bud-like construction with orange and blue veins, which gave off an eerie glow.

The princess went for the pedestal at the front of the control unit, immediately going to her tinkering about. "Hmm… nothing obvious on the surface. Perhaps if I check the more inner works… there may have been a miscalculation in the way that things were connected..."

Though Link was fascinated by everything the princess was saying, he knew that she would start asking questions if he was listening a little too intently.

"So, Little Guy," Daruk said, bringing Link's attention to the Goron Champion. "Do _you_ have any suggestions?"

Link felt surprise slip through his mask. _Someone asking_ me _for advice on a Divine Beast?_

"Um…"

"I know that you don't really have a Divine Beast," Daruk continued, as if he hadn't noticed Link's expression (he probably hadn't), "but you usually have the best advice. What do you think?"

Link glanced at the princess out of the corner of his eye. She was still muttering to herself as she dug through the gears, oblivious to the conversation happening behind her.

Link thought back to what Daruk had said about the Divine Beast. _It really does sound like a stubborn horse. Are these things alive?_

"Would you say that the Divine Beast is like an animal?" Link asked Daruk slowly.

Daruk looked thoughtful. "I guess you could say that. It's like it has a mind of its own."

Link nodded, processing this information. _Okay then. How would I get a stubborn horse to get along with its rider?_ Then an idea came to him. "How much have you looked around the Divine Beast?"

Daruk shrugged. "I've looked around the top floor a bit, but I decided I'd look around more after I figure out how it works."

Link hesitated slightly as he thought of what he should say, before he decided to come off as confident. "Then let's explore it right now while the princess works."

Daruk looked confused. "How will that-?"

Link grabbed the Goron's hand and somehow managed to tug Daruk a few feet towards the ramp downwards. "You'll see. Besides, it'll be interesting, right?"

* * *

Zelda, despite her tinkering, heard every word of the two champions' conversation quite clearly, _thank you very much_.

She wondered why Daruk asked Sir Link's advice. She was even more surprised when the silent knight responded - and in such a confusing way. He had first asked if the Divine Beast had a likeness to an animal, and then had switched topic to ask how much Daruk had seen of the Divine Beast.

 _How in Hylia's name are those two questions connected?_ Zelda thought with a huff as she hooked the Sheikah Slate to the control unit. She had never heard the knight speak so openly, either - to her, he spoke with an emotionless drone to match his expression. But when he spoke to Daruk, he spoke with the slightest emotion - not enough to truly tell what, but it was there.

She set the Sheikah Slate to scan the Divine Beast. So far, not a single thing she had seen would have any effect on Daruk's ability to control Rudania. Everything was perfectly in place.

 _Maybe there's something even deeper in the system?_

* * *

"Any luck, Princess?" Daruk asked when they came back up.

The princess stood up from the control unit, looking frustrated. "I can't seem to find anything out of the ordinary in the system. I am going to check the terminals - perhaps there is something outside of the main unit causing you difficulty."

Daruk didn't understand a lot of what she said, but it made enough sense for him to get the gist of it. "Alright then, Princess. I'll just talk with the little guy and try moving it around again, if that's okay with you."

"Not a problem," the princess said as she walked away, clearing distracted. "Come get me if anything improves."

And with that, the princess disappeared inside the Divine Beast.

Daruk turned to Link. "What do you think I should do now?"

"Go for it," was the little guy's simple response.

Daruk, though confused, decided that Link probably knew what he was talking about. "If you say so."

The Goron focussed his senses, as the little Sheikah woman had told him to do. Before, he hadn't understood what she had meant by "connection," but now he did.

He opened his eyes, and the Divine Beast was moving forward, slowly but steadily - just as Daruk had wanted it to.

"Well, would you look at that!" Daruk exclaimed. "It's working!" He looked down at the small Hylian standing beside him. "Looks like your advice did the trick! Thanks, Little Guy!" And with that, Daruk clapped the Hylian Champion heartily on the back, oblivious to the fact that the poor boy was thrown forward.

"It's only moved forward a bit," Link said, groaning slightly as he rubbed his back. "Try something more complicated before you thank me."

Daruk practiced moving the Divine Beast around more, the mechanical creature obeying his every wish. After a mere fifteen minutes or so, he had managed to bring Rudania high up in the peaks.

"Yeah! I think I'm finally getting the hang of controlling this Divine Beast!" After bringing the mechanical marvel to a stop, Daruk stretched his arms above his head, popping the joints. "I tell you what - it sure is a blast piloting a toy like this around."

Daruk popped his neck slightly before turning to the little guy. "Let those other champions know that they'd better eat their gravel if they want to keep up with Daruk."

Daruk turned to face the red mountains before them.

"Speaking of which, can you believe this view? Just look at all those delectable rocks sprinkled on those mountains…" Daruk felt his stomach rumbling at the thought. "Mighty tasty!"

Daruk paused. "I may not know a whole lot about this 'Calamity Ganon' thing… but mark my words," he said turning towards Link, his eyes determined. "I'll protect this land of ours to the death! Daruk clapped the Hylian Champion on the back, once again oblivious to the strength of it. "Right, Little Guy?"

Link nodded a little weakly, rubbing his back.

"Hey, by the way," Daruk said, changing the subject. "Congrats on becoming the princess's appointed knight. That's a really big deal! Protecting the king's daughter..." he chuckled, placing a hand on Link's shoulder. "No pressure!"

Link smiled weakly.

"Seriously, though," Daruk continued. "The princess is a strong personality!" Daruk scratched his head. "So strong that she can't quite see the range for the peaks. Remember that, and you'll be fine."

Link nodded. Daruk hoped that the little guy found his advice useful.

It was then that the ground began to quake. Link rearranged his feet to a more stable stance, his limbs trembling. Daruk couldn't blame him - this quake was strong.

Then a gigantic boulder broke free from the mountainside, tumbling towards them. Daruk glared at it as if it had offended him, and as it came, he summoned his shield, surrounding himself and Link. The boulder shattered upon impact, scattering the dust and rocky debris around them.

When the dust settled, Daruk removed his barrier. "Right, what was I saying…?" Daruk frowned at the rocks scattered around the Divine Beast. "That was a little strange. As far as I know, Death Mountain has been quiet for decades!" He turned his gaze to the mountainside. "But if the mountain is shivering enough to send down a bunch of boulders _that_ size, then…" Daruk trailed off and shook his head. "Nevermind. Forget I said anything."

"Daruk!"

The voice drew Daruk's eyes to the entrance to the inside of the Divine Beast. The princess emerged, coughing. "What _was_ that?"

Daruk glanced momentarily at the cliff again, before turning back to the princess and shaking his head. "Just a small quake. They happen every now and then."

"Really?" the princess asked. "Perhaps I should do some research on it. I'm sure there are theories as to why it occurs." The princess paused. "How did the Divine Beast get up here? Have you done better in controlling it?"

Daruk nodded with a grin. "The little guy seemed to know the trick! I'm still not quite sure what he did," he admitted, scratching his head, "but it worked!"

The princess glanced towards Link. "Really, now? Perhaps he can explain what he did to help? I'm certain that it would be of interest to the Sheikah scientists."

Daruk looked at the little guy. He was back to being all stiff faced. "I didn't do anything in particular, Princess," Link said quietly. "Lord Daruk is simply exaggerating."

The princess raised an eyebrow at Link, as if she didn't believe his words. "Is that so?"

Link merely nodded.

When both pairs of Hylian eyes landed on Daruk, he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I can't really exaggerate when I'm not sure what happened."

Princess Zelda shot a glare at Link, who remained emotionless. Daruk, though unsure of their reasoning for the way they acted, was sure of one thing:

 _I will never understand Hylians._

* * *

 **Heyo. I was really lacking in motivation with this particular chapter - it's not the most exciting stuff I've written, and I was really just cramming words onto the page in hopes that it would turn out 7+ pages. I got up at six in the morning so that I would have time to get all this into the doc manager, though, so there's that.**

 **I sincerely apologize if there are any reviews that I haven't replied to! I tried to get them all, but trying to get them all doesn't necessarily work very well when you're bleary eyed and about to fall asleep sitting up.**

 **SPEAKING OF REVIEWS, please do so! I was really lazy with this chapter because I hate it (no offense, chapter)! That means that I didn't bother going back to fix anything! WOOO! Oh, and motivation is nice. It's like coffee, except it's words that are written on a computer and, rather than providing energy, it provides motivation towards the continuation of this story... and I also like reviews, unlike coffee.**

 **SECRET REVIEW PHRASE IS... *drumroll, please*... _lava_! (I really need to come up with better secret review phrases)**

 **Sincerely (eh, it being six in the morning, I'm probably half asleep, so you can't be certain),**

 **Ari**


	17. Chapter 16: Spilling from the Corners

**Guest reviews! These were replied to when all else was done and I got some sleep, so hopefully I reply like an ordinary being.**

 ** _notaname_ : To be fair, it was more like five minutes. I exaggerated a little bit. But I _did_ set three paper towels on fire. I'M NOT A PYROMANIAC. I can imagine a dislocating jaw would do that to people. I was freaked out about my brother and sister's double-jointed thumbs for a while, but I guess I got used to it. Zelda can use the force, now? Hmm... then why didn't she just mind control Ganon? "You will not ravage the land and shall be sealed away in peace." But I'm no expert on Jedi mind tricks, so... maybe that's not possible? I am NOT a pyromaniac! Alaska's got nothing on what? Bisqmas? Sorry, Studio C reference. No one gets it. Pewds LOST? I didn't know that! STUPID T SERIES! I'm not even subbed to Pewdiepie, though, so... Imma do that right now. Looks like there's a 600,000 sub difference right now... that's rough. I once sold these cherry jelly hearts I got at Walmart for 25 cents per individual candy. I got the entire box for $2. MOVING ON, hey! Math is cool! Except for when your teacher does nothing but tell you what pages to do out of the text book and never actually teaches you anything themselves, and gives you a crap load of homework (well... exaggeration, but whatever - it's HOMEWORK). Have a good we- oh, there's still the P.S. review. I'll say that there.**

 ** _notaname_ _(2.0)_ : I was actually thinking about doing something similar, but I thought that it would risk giving too much away. In fact, I was originally going to have a meeting between the Yiga Clan in chapter 2 of them reacting to Link's retrieving of the Master Sword. But that didn't end up happening, because I couldn't fit it in. And it would have given away major things right away (probably). Ah, yes, I remember seeing that. The Arbiter's Grounds have such an interesting backstory. It's probably a good thing that it was destroyed, though. Some bad things are better left unremembered. Have a nice week!**

 **ROLL THE CLIP!**

 _ **Chapter 16: Spilling From the Corners**_

Zelda decided that she was sick of Sir Link's arrogant eyes burning into her back, his silent judgement clouding her mind at every turn.

That's why she awoke at such an hour - so that she could ride to the castle _without_ him.

She tiptoed silently out of the stable, her saddle bag slung over her shoulder, the sky still lit by nothing but the stars and the moonlight. The few other times she had tried to escape she had awoken a mere half an hour or so before sunrise, but the Hylian Champion would already be wide awake by then, packing bags and preparing for the journey.

This time she had gotten smarter. She had awoken with _hours_ left before the sun would grace the skies with its light. There was _no way_ the knight could possibly be awake by then.

When she exited the stable, however, she was proved wrong.

There, training fiercely, was Sir Link. He didn't seem to have noticed her, far too absorbed in his practice.

It was quite the sight to see, Zelda had to admit. His slashes were quick and precise, each one deadly to his imaginary opponent. She had seen other knights train - though it was harder to tell without a real opponent, it was easily seen that Sir Link was a better warrior than they - and they were already great warriors in their own rights.

But Zelda had expected such a thing from the knight. After all, he was _perfect_. She had seen him training before, anyway (though it still impressed her each time she saw it). What was… _strange_ this time around was his expression.

His brow was furrowed, frustration showing clearly on his face. There was also a slight anger that slipped into his normally expressionless gaze. At what? She did not know. But she was somewhat fascinated that the knight was actually capable of feeling and showing emotion.

 _How do I get past him?_ She glanced around, seeing a stack of crates that could hide her from the view of the knight.

 _Perhaps I can sneak by him?_ If she rode fast enough, she may be able to evade him for the whole ride to the castle.

She snuck quietly around the knight and towards the stalls. Whenever she did things like this, it was quite exhilarating. She had snuck away from her other guards before, but this was the most stealth-necessary of them all. She was excited to tell Purah of her success.

However, she had barely gotten behind a few crates when a twig snapped beneath her feet. The grunts that had accompanied the knight's training stopped.

"Who goes there?" came a voice from behind the crates. It was harsh and cold, sending shivers down Zelda's spine. _That's Sir_ Link _?_ She had never thought his voice to strike fear in her - every time that he had spoken before his voice had been soft and quiet.

She heard the quiet shing of a sword being drawn, and not seconds later, there was a sword pointed towards her, a fierce and deadly gaze trained on her own.

The sword was lowered. "Princess?" The knight's face once again became a void of emotion. "My apologies. I thought you were…" he trailed off and shook his head. "Why are you out here?"

"I am not obligated to answer any of your questions, _Hero_ ," Zelda huffed. Normally she wouldn't abuse her title like this, but her frustration took over. "What are _you_ doing out here?"

The knight stiffened and averted his gaze. "I was unable to sleep, so I decided to do something productive. I apologize if I came off as disrespectful, Your Highness." She saw his eyes meet the saddle bag over her shoulder, but he acted as if he had not noticed it. "You should go back to sleep. It will be a long journey tomor-"

Ignoring the fact that this was the most the knight had ever spoken to her, Zelda straightened up, making herself look taller than she really was. "I am not in need of your coddling, _Sir_ ," Zelda began coldly. "There has not been one moment on this trip in which you have been of use. I am _not_ in need of an escort!"

The knight that stood before her did not change in his blankness of expression. "I apologize again, Your Highness," he droned. "Whether you are in need of an escort or not, the king has assigned this to me as my duty-"

"Duty!" Zelda all but yelled. "'The king has assigned this to you.' You're such a mindless _dog._ You run about, doing whatever those that outrank you tell you to do! Have you ever had a thought of your own in your entire life?"

The knight bowed his head, silent. There was still not a hint of emotion on his face.

"I'm going to leave for the castle _now_ ," she said firmly. "It is clear that I cannot order you to stop following me. However, I do not wish to have to look you in the eye a single time on the journey back.

The knight nodded silently, turning walking towards the stall that housed his horse. _Good._ Now she didn't have to look at his arrogant face anymore… for the length of the journey, of course.

Zelda shoved down the guilt that began to bubble from inside. Sir Link had deserved every word he had gotten! He had "unlocked" the power to defeat the calamity with ease! He had done nothing to prove himself! Had that _boy_ spent years of pleading to the goddesses for something that was supposed to be _his_? Something that would save the whole of the realm? No! They handed it to him the moment he asked!

What made Zelda any different?

After strapping the saddle bags onto her horse, she dragged the stubborn stallion out of his stall. She placed her foot in the stirrup and swung her leg over…

...only for the _stupid_ horse to rear and attempt to throw her off.

"Calm down, Storm!" she hissed, clinging to the horse.

Then he started to buck. Zelda held more tightly, more desperately. _Even the_ horse _hates me!_

After what felt like a lifetime, but she knew was only a mere few seconds, Storm calmed, turning towards something she couldn't see. Curious to see what had stopped him, she followed his gaze.

There, standing beside the horse, was none other than the 'hero.' He was offering the beast an apple, rubbing its neck and whispering something incoherent, but soothing. It was so gentle that it even made Zelda herself feel calmer.

"Mounting a horse when feeling such negative emotions can be dangerous." The knight's voice was so quiet that Zelda's ears strained to hear it. "Horses can feel the emotions of those around them. Someone that is calm naturally spreads that calm to the horse. But when someone feels rage..." he trailed off, not needing to complete his sentence. Despite not finishing his thought, he was speaking an awful lot tonight.

 _So now he's a_ horse _expert._ Zelda huffed in annoyance, but immediately smashed down her rage when the horse beneath her snorted.

Slowly, she sat up on the horse, drawing in a calming breath. "Are you calm now?"

The horse nickered softly. _I'll take that as a yes?_

She glanced at the knight out of the corner of her eye, who had made his way to his own horse while she had been distracted. Guilt crept up again, but she swatted it away. _He deserved every word,_ she repeated to herself.

And with that, Zelda spurred her stormy steed away, all too aware of the hoof beats that echoed from behind.

* * *

On the ride back to the castle, Link kept his distance. Though he knew that the princess was going through troubled times, and that she clearly despised him, her words had cut deep.

" _You're such a mindless_ dog _!"_

Link drew in a shuddering breath, knowing that the princess was far too angry at him to care to look behind and catch his moment of weakness. All his life, he had been told to be completely obedient to the orders of his superiors. He tried his best to do so to the best of his ability… but he always disappointed someone.

But the princess thought him dull and unintelligent because of his obedience? This confused him. He knew that she hated that he followed him… perhaps she was taking her anger out on him?

He recalled what Impa had said once when Liari had begun to take her own anger out on those around her. It was for a reason he could not remember, but the words were clear in his mind, even now.

" _This is not the way to take out your frustrations, Liari. You must pause, think, and breath. Think about what is the true root of your anger. I assure you that it is not the fact that the innocent passerby 'looked at you funny.' Decide whether the true reason behind your anger is justified, or simply ridiculous and should be swatted away. If it is_ not _ridiculous, do what you must to fix it."_

But the princess didn't have Sheikah training… as far as Link knew, anyway. She was not taught meditation and how to properly disguise emotion, and rare few besides the Sheikah _ever_ bothered with learning to properly control their rage.

So her words were fine. She was going through troubled times, what with her failure to unlock her sealing powers and such. Though she definitely hated him, she probably did not hate him as much as her words suggested. She was merely… venting.

Deep down, Link didn't believe that she really was. But Link shoved down the side that was pitying himself and killed it with fire. His feelings did not matter. He was a knight - a weapon. Nothing more.

When he saw the outline of the castle in the distance, Link quickly cleared his face of any and all emotion. He was a weapon, after all, and he had to act the part. Cold, lifeless, and ready to kill.

* * *

When an angry knock came at Impa's door, she assumed that it was Liari, back to rant about something ridiculous.

"Enter," Impa said, allowing the slightest bit of irritation to slip into her voice.

The door swung open, not to reveal a dark blonde Sheikah, but rather a golden haired princess, a cross aura dancing around her like flames.

"Princess Zelda," Impa greeted. "What brings you to my office?"

The princess's teeth were clenched. "I would like a new appointed knight, please - or better yet, _no_ appointed knight."

Impa raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And where would your appointed knight be?"

"I have ordered his to leave my sight for the rest of the day," Princess Zelda said heatedly.

"What exactly did my finest apprentice do to upset you?" Impa asked coolly.

"Your finest- ugh!" the princess groaned. "That arrogant, stuck up little knight is so condescending that I can't take it!"

"Are you sure that we're speaking of the same person?" Impa questioned. "That sounds the exact opposite of the Sir Link I have come to know."

"Really, now?" the princess huffed. "Are you joking? That knight could not be understanding and humble for his life!"

Impa found this conversation amusing. "My apologies if I cause offense, but I don't believe that you have bothered to look further than the surface, Princess."

"What do you mean?" the princess asked, clearly irritated. "There's nothing more to see. He's arrogant, a know-it-all, and a spoiled brat!"

"Princess," Impa began, thinking her wording carefully so that she would suggest anything about knowing the princess's thoughts, "What do people see you as?"

"What does this have to do with that foolish knight?"

"Everything," Impa replied before continuing. "They see you as a failure of a princess, due to your inability to unlock your sealing powers. They believe that you have done nothing to solve this problem, merely adventuring around and avoiding your duties as a princess. But you and I both know that you have done, and continue to do, all you can. Correct?"

The princess nodded slowly, her angry aura ebbing away to show confusion.

"Now tell me why you think the way you do about Link," Impa demanded gently.

The angry aura grew back. "He's silent because he does not feel it necessary to speak to me. He thinks that he is above me, all because of his ease at releasing the Master Sword. At Rudania, when they didn't know I was listening, he spoke uninhibitedly to Daruk. Then, last night, he corrected the way I mounted my horse. He's always looking down on me!"

Impa waited for the princess to continue, but nothing more came. "Well, Princess," Impa said calmly, "I do not see how any of that means that Sir Link is lacking in respect towards you."

"Wha-?!"

"Nothing you have stated shows that Sir Link has any ill will towards you," Impa interrupted. "Nor does it show that he feels above you, or anything of the like. You are judging him just as many others have judged you. It is a common mistake, of course, but one that needs to be corrected."

A slight guilt crept up inside the princess, but it seemed that she decided to replace it with more anger. "You don't know him. You haven't seen the way he has acted around me!"

"I do know him - better than you, I'd imagine," Impa said calmly. "If the events you have described are the worst extent of it, then I would say that Sir Link has done nothing to cause you to feel this way."

"I- you- he- _ugh_!" the princess groaned to end her sputtering of incoherency. "You are simply trying to justify his actions!"

And with that, Princess Zelda turned on her heel and marched out of Impa's office, her rage hanging over her head like a storm cloud.

"Well," Impa said to herself when the princess left, "I suppose there was a better way to handle that." If Dame Rala were still here, she would've had a few choice words to say to Impa. The Sheikah elder would've known exactly how to deal with the situation.

Impa slouched in her chair. Though she would never live up to the power and wisdom of her late mentor, she had always strived to live up to her expectations. It seemed that Impa had failed to do so.

 _What would Rala have done?_

* * *

 **Edit: We're at 99 reviews?! It took at LEAST twenty five chapters for the old one to get to that point (probably)! NEXT PERSON TO REVIEW GETS 100th REVIEW AND A PRIZE (May or may not be the satisfaction of being the 100th reply). -end of edit-**

 **I'm actually writing the author's note the day before for once instead of 4-6 in the morning! Not that anyone will notice. I'll probably just seem less sleep-deprived and insane.**

 **I haven't gone through the chapter yet, so I don't know how thoroughly I'll be checking it, but if you find any mistakes, review or PM! This is a rewrite - it must be better than the original! The original was riddled with silly errors.**

 **I've been working on a few projects lately. I've made... two or three ideas for the cover of _Before_. I just need to learn how to color stuff well with colored pencils (not that I suck at that or anything... but I do). I've also been writing a post OoT/MM story. It still needs some work before it's worthy of being published at all, but it's a thing. But... it has eight chapters so far and most likely more to come, so it might have to wait for the spotlight until _Before_ is done having its time to shine.**

 **Secret review phrase: spoiled milk (NO QUESTIONS AS TO WHY. I JUST FELT LIKE IT.)**

 **Sincerely (Eh, I'm tired, so who knows?),**

 **Ari**


	18. Chapter 17: Sorry, Not Sorry

**_notaname_ : JUST THE LITTLE PIECES, NOT WHOLE ROLLS! I am NOT a pyromaniac! It's not like I suggest fire as a solution regularly or anything... *shoes away friends with video evidence.* Honestly, I think I would still be willing to pay ten bucks to see that clip. I didn't even pay to go to Avengers: Endgame (Thank you, Dad), so that's saying something. The part where Batman died still has me with the feels, though. WATCH STUDIO C! It's GREAT! Spreading the word of Pewds. I sold... uh... I really haven't sold very much stuff, have I? Huh. And the stuff I **_have_ **sold was cheap. I mean, 25 cents for a homemade** _ **cinnamon roll?**_ **I didn't choose the price, but come _on_! We might as well give them away! My math teachers give me a ridiculous amount of time during class to do homework. And apparently (even in the advanced math class) it takes me three hours less than everyone else in my classes. I guess they're just really talkative? (The rest of the reply was written with a two hour gap - sorry - I'm going to skip over some parts because it's time for me to go to bed and I have to get this chapter out today) I changed the summary because I felt like it was bad - and the story _does_ have slight Zelink - it's pretty much cannon in BoTW. Sorry, Mipha. And Sidon... you have better luck with Paya. Maybe the Goron City theme is a traditional Goron song, and that's how the Goron knows it? I dunno. Sorry for the slightly cut review! Have a great week!**

 ** _Guest_ : Aw, thanks! I'm glad I do more than annoy people XD**

 _ **Chapter 17: Sorry, Not Sorry**_

When Zelda opened the door to her study that morning, she was surprised to find the absence of Sir Link. In his place was a stout older soldier, looking half asleep where he stood.

"Excuse me," Zelda said to the knight, jolting the man out of his standing slumber. "Where is Sir Link?"

"He has decided to take the day off," the knight said groggily. "Lady Impa said something about an emergency that required Sir Link's immediate attention."

"I see…" Zelda said slowly. Had she scared off the knight with her words? Was he all bark and no bite? Stoic exterior, with a cowardly interior?

But _noooo_ , Sir Link was _perfect_. Sir Link could do no wrong! How _dare_ she suggest otherwise?

Zelda decided this was a good time to go to Purah's lab. Zelda would hate the day that Purah moved to the Royal Ancient Tech Lab, which was under construction - it was hours away, and it would be far more difficult to visit due to its being outside the castle walls. All the more reason to visit while she could.

* * *

"Link, I demand that you tell me what is going on," Impa said firmly as she threw open the door to Link's small room in the barracks.

She was met with an interesting sight. Link sat on the small bed, dark bags underneath his eyes, a bundle of cloth in his arms. He looked up at her wearily.

"I apologize for calling off my duties for the day with little notice," he said, his eyes glancing down at the bundle. "Something came up."

Impa walked closer, and, realizing what she was getting at, Link shifted the cloth.

There, wrapped cozily, was a furry black face, golden eyes blinking at her. It was then that Impa noticed the rumbling sound that emitted from the cloth - a purr.

"A _kitten_ ," Impa deadpanned. "You dismissed your duties for a _kitten_."

"I found it when I was walking the alleys of the city," Link explained, scratching at the little beast's head. It closed its eyes and purred louder with contentment. "It was being attacked by a dog, and has various signs of abuse - I couldn't leave it there. It's young, injured, and starving."

Impa took a deep breath. "You mean to tell me," she said slowly, "that you took in a vicious _beast_ of a creature in? And that you blew off your duty because of it?"

Link bowed his head. "My apologies, Lady Impa. I know you are not fond of felines."

Impa scoffed. "Not fond? I barely see how _you_ can be fond of them!"

"Well…" Impa said slowly, turning to leave and holding in a sigh. "I had feared that you were ill or something of the sort. Next time, at the very least tell me the full extent of the... 'emergency.'"

Link nodded his head. "Yes, Dame Impa."

" _Lady_ ," Impa corrected.

"Yes, _Lady_ Impa."

* * *

Impa wasn't happy with him, was she?

Link knew it was wrong - setting his duty aside to care for a small kitten, barely six or seven weeks old by the looks of it. But… Link couldn't resist. He knew that if any other saw the black kitten they would kill it in some morbid way, just because of the myths about them being bad luck or dark mages in disguise. _Complete nonsense,_ he thought with a huff.

Link unwrapped the little kitten, gently brushing its back with the tips of his fingers, careful to avoid the areas where he had bound wounds with cloth. The bleeding had stopped a while ago, but to remove the bandage would risk removing the clots and start the bleeding up again.

He recalled the wounds. It was large on the small kitten, but it definitely hadn't come from that dog… after all, the wounds bore a resemblance to… well, they were clearly made by a blade. Someone had found it before him, and had decided to put a knife to the little feline's side.

He didn't know why they hadn't finished the job. Link hoped that it somehow escaped, but he had the sneaking suspicion that the dog wasn't chasing the cat for no reason. That dog was very obviously owned by someone… why they would torture a dog into become a killing machine was unknown to him.

The little kitten's rumbling came to a stop as it slipped into a peaceful sleep. Link sighed and looked up at the ceiling. The world was cruel. The people tortured whatever was weaker than they, and punished with ease, whether they had commanded their inferiors to do the right thing or not. They cared not for the life around them - rather, they _relished_ the pain of "unintelligent creatures."

Link brushed the kitten's dark and matted fur with his fingers, gentle so as to not disturb the poor thing's slumber.

"You'll be alright," Link whispered, despite knowing the kitten could not respond. "Your life will no longer be one of strife. I will see to it."

" _Master Link,"_ chimed a voice, drawing Link's eyes to the sword that lay sheathed, leaning against the bedpost. " _What is it that you see in this creature?"_

Link sighed. "Not you, too."

" _I apologize - I did not mean it in that way. Allow me to rephrase my previous statement."_

There was a moment of quiet as Fi calculated the proper words to use. Link could tell - there was always a quiet hum in the back of his mind as she did so.

" _Most would see this 'kitten,' as you have called it, nothing more than a pest and a vicious beast, as your mentor has demonstrated. But you see something else in the creature, do you not?"_

Link looked back down at the kitten. _I guess so._

" _And what_ do _you see?"_ Fi prompted.

Link hesitated. What _did_ he see?

 _I see… someone I can help. Something that is within my control._

" _And?"_

Link hesitated. _It… it reminds me of her._

" _Of whom? A lover?"_

Link stuck out his tongue. "Ew, no!"

" _I doubted it. Using the most unlikely of answers is occasionally a tactic used to elicit the true response. In short, I would like you to specify, Master Link."_

Though Fi's use of language amused him, that slight delight had been crushed by heart-breaking guilt and grief.

Link turned his eyes to the dull stone wall at his right. _My mother._

" _She cared deeply for all life forms, did she not?"_

Link nodded silently.

" _So you see this as a way to make her proud of you?"_

 _It seems so selfish when you say it like that._ Maybe he _was_ being selfish? But he _did_ care about the kitten. If it had died on his watch, that would be another thing added to his long list of guilt. But...

" _You feel she isn't proud. You feel you have disappointed her, and this is one of your attempts to make it up to her."_

Link gently set the kitten, still bundled up, to the side, and leaned his face on his hand. _I failed her. So many times that I wasn't strong enough, wasn't fast enough, wasn't smart enough, wasn't_ good _-_

" _Is that so?"_ Fi asked, cutting his thoughts to a stop. Link could have been mistaken, but there was the slightest bit of a dry edge to the normally emotionless voice - similar to that of sarcasm, actually. " _It's not as if you were-"_

"Don't justify it," Link blurted out before he realized it. He quickly shifted back into thoughts. _I will not allow anyone to argue otherwise. I will bear the guilt forever, as I deserve. I will not trick myself into a state of false innocence._

" _My apologies, Master Link, but how exactly are you guilty? If your memories have indicated anything to me, you did all you could to prevent that… event."_

 _I didn't. I could've worked harder. I could've_ fought _harder. I could've-_

" _You mustn't be so harsh on yourself, Master,"_ Fi interrupted. " _What could have been does not matter. What matters now is the present."_

Link sighed and turned to look at the kitten, which had poked its little head out of the cloth, its golden eyes trained on him.

"I'm sorry," Link whispered to seemingly no one in particular. No one would ever know how many he was really, truly speaking to. Those words seemed to be meant for hundreds of ears, yet they would never reach them.

When he spoke again, his voice was scarcely loud enough for his own ears to hear.

"I'm _so_ _sorry_."

* * *

Zelda studied the drawings diligently, completely fascinated. "You say they found this in Tabantha at the... Ancient Columns?"

"Yep!" Purah chirped, pointing to a feature in front of the cone shaped building. "And see this?"

Zelda examined it. "A pedestal of some sort?" she guessed.

"We're pretty sure it's some sort of lock on the structure," Purah explained. "I've theorized that the Sheikah Slate is the key to open it." Purah let out a girlish squeal. "What kinds of secrets could lie within?"

"I recall reading something in a book about ancient Sheikah technology," Zelda mused aloud. "It described 'shrines' that were built by the ancient Sheikah monks of ten thousand years ago. If I remember right, they were built to test the hero."

"Interesting…" Purah looked thoughtful. "Speaking of the hero, where _is_ Linky?"

Zelda resisted the urge to roll her eyes at that strange nickname. "Sir Link has taken the day off. An emergency of some sort has called his attention elsewhere."

"What could he be doing?" Purah asked, confused.

Zelda shrugged. "He could be visiting his ill relative?"

Purah shook her head and mumbled something under her breath.

Zelda raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Um… I said that he doesn't have any… uh… remlits!" Purah said quickly. "Remlits! Those things went extinct _ages_ ago, after all. It's _impossible_!"

Confused, Zelda brushed it off. "Well, I suppose he could also be avoiding me. Perhaps my slight… _outburst_ intimidated him."

Now it was Purah's turn to look confused. "What outburst?"

Zelda sighed. "The night after we arrived at Woodland Stable, I decided to try and get him off my back. I packed up and tried to sneak away… but he caught me. I was so _angry_ that I… well…" Zelda made an exploding motion with her hands.

Purah gave her a strange look with an emotion she couldn't quite place. "You yelled at him?" she asked.

The fact that Purah was acting this way about it made Zelda feel a little guilty in a way that ranting at the normally emotionless Impa had not. Purah… she was usually quite the optimistic sort. Zelda had rarely seen her become serious about something besides Sheikah technology, and even then, she always carried her excitement with her, drenching anyone nearby in her excitement.

"I'm _sorry_ , okay?" Zelda said in a tone of voice that said otherwise. "But that was _days_ ago. If he really was trying to avoid me, he would've taken the day off immediately after we got back."

"Well," Purah huffed, back to her normal self, "if you yelled at him, it means he'll be less willing to help us sneak out to the shrine."

Zelda scrunched up her forehead. "Help us? Why can't we just go by ourselves?"

"It's simple, really," Purah said. "It's dangerous out there. I'm no Sheikah warrior, and you aren't so good with that sort of thing either. We could get attacked by bokoblins, moblins, lizalfos, lynels… even the Yiga." Purah shivered.

"Yiga?" Zelda echoed. She had never heard the term before.

"The Yiga were once Sheikah," Purah explained. "But when we were forced into isolation _thousands_ of years ago, there was a schism. They felt that the Royal Family had abused our technology and abilities, only to discard us like garbage when they didn't need us anymore. The other Sheikah, the ones that were completely loyal to the Royal Family of Hyrule, remained that way. So the ones that felt betrayed simply split off and called themselves the 'Yiga Clan.' They worship the Calamity, and will stop at nothing to revive it."

"So what do they want with _me_?" Zelda asked sarcastically. "Kill me?"

Purah nodded. "Probably. And they will succeed if you don't have someone experienced protecting you. Link…" Purah paused, as if thinking of a way to phrase her next words. "...He has plenty of experience fighting Yiga. More than any other knight, anyway."

Zelda rolled her eyes, not believing Purah and instead thinking it some sort of excuse. "Sure. If you don't want to go to the shrine, I could always go by myself."

"Zelda," Purah began firmly, "if you go without anyone to protect you... you could very well _die._ "

Zelda turned towards the door, her mind made up. "Whatever you say, Purah."

* * *

 **Subscribe to Pewdiepie! (I'm not a fan of him, just a fan of Mr. Beast, and therefore a subscriber to Pewdiepie)**

 **I'M REALLY SORRY. Ironically, the chapter title just so happens to say the same thing. LOI (Laughing on the inside - I totally didn't just make it up. Did you know that before the internet, LOL meant "Love you loads"? Interesting, right?) Anywho, yeah. This chapter is being published 15 hours after my normal update time. Roughly. I'm not feeling the math today. So... oops. But I almost didn't publish it at all today, so, you're welcome!**

 **My reasoning for the late update time was because I'm behind on my writing schedule and I was kind of/sort of/really freaking out about it. If you didn't know, I write a chapter ahead. As of now, I still have not finished chapter 18. I was all "Oh no, I need to finish that chapter first! I CAN'T UPDATE!** **" But then I realized that the whole point of me writing a chapter ahead is instances like this, so that I can upload on time.**

 **Moving on... you may have noticed the new cover. It's fine if you didn't, of course! Anyway, this cover is temporary, but it made more sense to have a BoTW cover for a BoTW story rather than a drawing of TP Zelda. So... ignore the speedy coloring, messed up jaw, and the date on the picture. It's one of my various "Hey, look, I drew a copy of something I found on the internet!" drawings. I have a better BoTW Zelda that I could use, actually, but I thought that the finished product looked too much like the original, and it would look like I was copying w/out permission, and... I'm rambling. Woo!**

 **So... yeah, I'm still clueless about the cover. I'm still open to ideas (the ones I've been told already have been experimented with, but I'm still not sure)! At least it makes sense now! Sort of...!**

 **I'm talking/writing too much. This is what one of my old English teachers described as "Writing Diarrhea." Because it's like... well, diarrhea. It's a gross comparison, but it's the sort of thing that appeals to sixth graders. The English teacher understood her audience.**

 **Secret review phrase is "Sorry, not sorry," because it's the chapter title and I feel like it. Thank you for your support - we've reached 100 reviews! Woah!**

 **Speaking of reviews, I'm really, REALLY sorry if I missed any! I'm a bit disorganized, so I have literally no idea if I replied already or not.**

 **THANK YOU! :D**

 **Sincerely (Mmm... smoothie... wait, what am I being sincere about again?),**

 **Ari~**


	19. Chapter 18: Resentment

**notaname: IT WAS THREE SQUARES OF PAPER TOWELS! And it was for... uh... definitely NOT my own personal enjoyment. A shooting near you? That sucks. I think that the last shooting in my area was... actually, I'm not sure. We have gangs in this town, so... probably more shootings than I know about? Ah, yes, the Batman death scene... so sad. I didn't cry though - didn't cry through at all throughout Infinity War (almost at *Infinity Spoil Here* Spiderman's death *Infinity Spoil Here*). Same with Endgame, though it was pretty good. Almost cried during Detective Pikachu, though. I put what in? The Pewdiepie thing? I dunno. Eh, I haven't sold much stuff. My mom makes these AMAZING homemade cinnamon rolls, and she had me sell them for 25 cents each at our garage sale or something (my memory's a bit hazy). My mom makes... too many sugary sweets. Not that I mind, I get to eat cookies for breakfast! In my normal math class, I just kind of spend the whole class on homework because I already learned everything we're learning right now in my advanced one. Then, in my advanced class... the teacher is just really weird. He lets us work on it at the end of class and tells us we'll only get five minutes to work on it the next day, then gives us the freaking entire class period. Not that I mind that, either. It means I have more time to write instead of doing homework! Hey, you've heard the story before! They become all buddy-buddy later! OR DO THEY?! Maybe I did that summary to throw everyone off! Maybe this is an AU, and from this chapter on, the Calamity will destroy everyone! NO ONE KNOWS! Heh, just kidding, I do... and my cat, she can probably read minds. I READ A FIC ONCE WHERE THE WRITER SHIPPED SIDON AND PAYA, OKAY? It's not normal, but... apparently it's a thing? Hmm... that would be funny to write. I was thinking of writing a story about their kids, who get sent back in time by accident and decide to create an alternate timeline where Ganon was defeated as soon as he came. Huh, I didn't realize that about the tree stump! Interesting!**

 **Have a wonderful week! Now, ONWARD, TO VICTORY!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 18: Resentment**_

"The princess is missing!"

"I heard she ran off after something she overheard the other maids talking about."

"I think that she's trying to get away from Sir Link."

"Why would she be doing that?"

 _I don't know,_ Link thought as he rushed past the maids, not even stopping to apologize, and towards the stables.

It was a lie, of course. Link knew. The princess hated him - looked down upon him with disdain. He had tried hard to hide his weakness, but it seemed the princess had seen through him as if he was transparent as glass.

And now… she thought that he was too weak to protect her.

" _She's gone to Tabantha,"_ Purah had explained breathlessly, still catching her breath from her quick run to the chambers. " _Ancient Columns. We found a strange structure, and… well, she bolted for it. I'll take care of your cat while you're gone. Just… be careful."_

Purah didn't usually speak so seriously. Despite being several years older than himself, she was a free spirit - a child until her death. For some strange reason, couldn't even _imagine_ her as an old woman. Impa, though younger than Purah, acted like a grandma.

 _I'm getting side-tracked… again. Stay focused! The Y- any monster or assassin_ _could be after the princess this very moment!_

He shivered at the thought of going into battle against _them_ again.

 _Stop it, Link! Focus! Get to the stables and ride harder than you ever have in your entire life!_

Link drew in a calming breath, composed himself, and continued to the stables.

* * *

Purah was… nervous. Yes, nervous! The great Purah, known for her great optimism, was capable of fear too, you know! It was bound to come when the princess rushed off, putting not only herself in danger, but Link as well!

Zelda… though she thought Link was an arrogant butt-face, Purah knew just how wrong the girl was. The princess was rarely so wrong as to come to a conclusion opposite to the truth. After all, Link was quiet and humble, could definitely do with more confidence rather than less, and apparently he rescued kittens off of the side of the rode.

Purah stroked the kitten, avoiding the spot where the bandage on its side was speckled with blood. It was oddly soothing. The kitten, despite having lived on the streets, had such soft fur - clean, too. She didn't doubt that Link had cleaned it up - he was like that.

He was a lot like his mother. Purah looked up to that woman greatly. She was so kind and gentle… it wasn't fair that the kindest of people seemed to suffer the most. Link had by no means an ordinary childhood under his belt… yet he still managed to go on.

Purah sighed and scratched the kitten behind the ears, a rumbling purr coming from its throat. For once, Purah actually felt her age rather than someone ten years younger.

 _Hylia, protect them._

* * *

Zelda kicked the pedestal with a groan. So far, nothing. _Nothing!_ She couldn't get into any of the inner systems of this strange shrine - whoever had made it had built it to keep people out, and they had done it well.

For the third time, she slid the slate across the pedestal. Of course, there was no reaction. She drew in a deep, calming breath.

"Nothing, once again," she voiced quietly. She turned her eyes up to the door, decorated by ancient Sheikah, which read like gibberish to her. "Hmm… perhaps this structure was actually designed to be exclusively accessed by the chosen one."

An annoyance rose within her. Of _course_ the hero would be the one to be given _opportunities that others should have._ Of _course_ the hero was given _abilities that were denied others._ After all, he was clearly the goddesses _favorite_ out of the two of them.

Zelda drew in a deep breath to calm herself. _He's not here. You escaped him. Hopefully he'll end up being punished properly for letting me slip by… though others might argue that he was on that "emergency leave."_

"Designs can always be worked around," Zelda said hopefully to herself. "Probably. There must be a way to activate it, or even get inside…"

Then a neigh, accompanied by hoofbeats, reached her ears. She whirled around, only to see a familiar chestnut mare, her blue eyed master on her back.

Zelda felt her hands on the slate tighten as the knight leapt off his steed with ease, jogging towards the shrine and stopping just short of it by a few yards.

"I thought I made it clear that I am not in need of an escort," Zelda sneered as she stepped down from the shrine's platform. "It seems I truly am the only one with a mind of my own. I," she exaggerated a gesture towards herself, speaking deliberately, "the person in question, am _fine_ \- regardless of the king's orders."

Zelda stuck her nose in the air and strutted past the 'hero.' "Return to the castle, and tell that to my father, _please_."

She heard the slight, quiet pad of feet behind her. Breathing in a sharp breath, she turned on her heel. "And stop following me!" she shouted.

With that, she turned back around, went to mount her horse…

...and was thrown to the ground by the stubborn beast.

* * *

Link had been very, _very_ relieved when he had found the princess perfectly unharmed (besides a few scrapes from her rearing horse, but she got up and proceeded to ride away as quickly as she could, seeming perfectly fine). It seemed, however, that he was not to be spared of her rage. He showed no sense of hurt at her actions.

But Fi could feel otherwise. Though it had been thousands of years since her connection to the hero had been forged, it remained precisely 97.91635 percent intact. Or so her calculations told her. Occasionally an error would occur during the calculation process, despite her meticulous programming and careful creation.

Her thoughts, or as Hylians commonly said, her "train of thought" was getting sidetracked, as would often happen to the hero's. She supposed it had something to do with their bond. But moving on… it was difficult for her master to hide anything from her. His prolonged silence merely made his thoughts race faster, something she could gain more information on than speech ever would.

Right now, as he trailed Princess Zelda at a safe distance, she could hear his thoughts clearly. " _I'm not good enough. It was implied before, but now it's clear that the princess isn't just taking out her frustration on me. Her frustration_ is _me."_

A large percent of his thought process went along the lines of this. The moment the slightest confidence or peace began to grow, he crushed it and beat it back to the dark recesses of his mind. His self-esteem was not where it should be.

Fi knew that this was because of traumatic events in his past. Many of the hero's past incarnations had been forced into such trials by the divine. It was necessary, so that the hero would be strong enough to successfully combat evil, and willing to do whatever he must to right the wrongs that he had "created."

It was a cruel tactic, Fi had to admit. Though she had not been given a consciousness at the time, the original hero had gone through much suffering. Her databanks held accounts of years beaten and abused in the dungeons for a crime he never committed. Her Grace Hylia had told her, albeit a bit solemnly, that it was necessary to shape his spirit and test his soul to become unbreakable - or, as Hylia had said, "a sword hammered and honed so that it would never break."

Yet they continued to do so, time and time again. It seemed that to merely harden the soul once and simply reawaken the memories was not an option, though Fi could not understand why. Though... Her Grace had told Fi that she was not to reveal the true nature of the hero's spirit.

Perhaps the goddesses wished to keep those millenia of suffering from him. After all, with lifetimes of memories of demons and shadow, there wouldn't be the slightest chance for the hero to find peace - as temporary as it was. Memories would haunt his every step.

However, it mattered not what the goddesses thought. Fi was merely a sword and a servant to them, and though she sometimes had her doubts, the goddesses above knew what they were doing.

But… Fi felt the traumatizing experiences this time around had been a bit… much. In other past lives he had been merely bullied because of a lack of a fairy. This time he had been beaten and bruised, eternally physically and emotionally scarred by the experiences. He wasn't entirely in his right mind anymore. Occasionally she found him thinking-

" _They should have chosen someone more qualified…"_

And there it was. These thoughts would only continue to spiral downward. _In approximately three seconds… one… two… thre-_

" _Maybe they were wrong. Maybe they realize that. They should just kill me now and choose another. There are plenty of others that can do better than me."_

It was when he had begun to think about dying, and how the world would be "better off without him," that Fi knew that he needed help. Help from someone more experienced in the way of emotions. Though Fi felt emotions, hers were duller than those of the Land of Hylia. She felt sadness, yes, but never as crushing as this self doubt and… she supposed the proper term was "depression." Yes, Master Link had fallen into a "depressed" state.

" _Master Link,"_ she said quietly. He did not respond verbally, nor did he direct his thoughts at her. Instead, he slowed the gait of his steed to show that he was listening.

" _I apologize for intruding on private matters, but I have noticed that you are not in a positive state of mind."_ What to say next? Perhaps a single question would yield more information than a full-on interrogation, whether she already knew the answer or not. " _Why is this?"_

There was a hesitation that shivered down the bond. " _I don't know what you're talking about,"_ he replied mentally. Fi could tell that this was partly the truth. He didn't want to admit to himself that he was falling apart. He didn't want to let her, or anyone else, know of his secret self-loathing.

" _I would normally suggest that you seek assistance from one who is close and trusted,"_ Fi said honestly, " _but it seems that you are rather lacking in relationships in that category. I may be no expert on emotions, but as you are the only one who can hear me, the exception being Mistress Liari, it is safe to say that all you speak of to me will remain confidential."_

" _That's a… kind offer,"_ Link replied mentally, a slight discomfort passing through their bond. " _However, I don't think it will be necessary."_

Fi merely released a small chime in response. She had not made much progress… and it would be much time before Master Link would recover completely.

Her mind whirred with plans to fix this. She would find a way. She _had_ to.

* * *

 **No one expected that Fi POV, now, did they? To be honest, I didn't either.**

 **Sorry for the delay! It's HERE! The note will be deleted by the time this is published, so if you didn't know why this was late, long story short, I had a very busy week last week. Hopefully this week will be on the calmer side... though there is a science report that I forgot to do that's due today, so who knows? Life can be crazy.**

 **I think I got all the reviews... probably. If I didn't reply, don't take it personally - blame my cat or something, she was really needy this week. It won't be on purpose if I don't reply!**

 **...I think that's everything. Have a great week! Hopefully there will be no delay on the next chapter!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Ari~**


	20. Chapter 19: Riddles

_**IMPORTANT THING IN THE AUTHOR'S NOTE! IT'S UNDERLINED - PLEASE READ IT!**_

 **notaname: I don't really feel like specifying what happened, and it would actually take a long time to do so. No one really wants to read all that, so I'll spare you my life story (XD). I have heard of shootings in my area, but have you heard of jet ski crashes? That happened a couple weeks ago. It's sad, because I think they died, but who runs a jet ski into another jet ski?! How is that even possible?! *skipping over some things due to time constraints* As for how they become closer... you'll have to wait and see. What I meant was it was a thing I made up. It's a thing now! More stuff detailing that in the Author's Note, actually. Oh, yeah! I saw some pictures of that! And this one really sad comment where Link asked the Wind Fish one if it could still grant wishes... I'M NOT CRYING. Inconveniently placed cliffs, eh? That must've been a _rocky_ landing... I'll go home now.**

 **SomeGuest: Well, that's the whole point. What's a story without Link torture (XD)? Aw, thank you! Ah, I caught that reference! Thank you for your support! I think that, for English not being your native language, you wrote that pretty well!**

 **Have a great week, Guest Readers! Now... ONWARD! TO VICTORY!**

 _ **Chapter 19: Riddles**_

Gerudo Desert. That was where she was going. Princess Zelda did not care that she was going without any permission. She did not care that her father was most likely about to send a legion of soldiers after her. She did not care that she would get a severe scolding upon her return.

All she really minded was the knight that continued to trail behind her. Though his own footsteps were near silent, his horse's hoofbeats were always heard in the distance. However, Zelda had no doubt that Urbosa would uphold her city's tradition - that meant she would have, at the very least, a few days away from Sir Link.

She had been perfectly content as she sat down by her meager fire, the small flames sputtering meager embers into the night air, she caught the knight's silhouette in the near distance.

He looked so very alone. The way his shoulders were slouched, visible even in the dark of night, showed an exhaustion she hadn't seen earlier that day… when she had scolded him.

Guilt crept up once again, and this time it stayed.

Zelda pulled her diary out of her pack and began to write.

 _"I said something awful to him today…"_ She paused, thinking of where to go next with her words. " _My research was going nowhere. I was feeling depressed, and I had told him repeatedly not to accompany me._ _But he did anyway, as he always does, and so I yelled at him without restraint._ _"_

Zelda hesitated. Maybe she shouldn't have been so stern. He was merely doing his job. Perhaps she could admit a small tidbit in her writing, then act as if she had never felt that way in the first place.

 _"I feel terribly guilty...and that guilt only makes me more agitated then I was before."_

That seemed good enough. She slammed the diary shut with a slight huff and tossed it back into her pack. She had decided that her entries needed to be shorter and to the point - some of her last ones had been far too long. Besides, she didn't need to write all of her feelings for all the future monarchs to read. All of the journals she had read for her somewhat limited royal training had been extremely formal, more like a report on daily events than a collection of scrambled thoughts.

Though Zelda doubted she could do the same without going slightly insane, she could, at the very least, attempt to… while venting a bit at the same time.

* * *

Link had, at first, been confused as to where they were heading. It quickly became apparent when she turned south rather than continuing towards the east that they would not be going back to the castle. However, it became quite clear that their destination was Gerudo Desert, or something in the area, when they reached the Digdogg Suspension Bridge.

Then it became far too clear that he was right when she left her horse at Gerudo Canyon Stable.

But if she _was_ going to Gerudo Desert… that would be a problem. He had heard of high Y... _monster_ activity in that region. And he would not be allowed inside Gerudo Town. He had been inside once, when he was still very young, but now that he was older, there was no chance.

Of course, that had to be her plan.

" _Master Link, there is civilization in the distance. My records tell me that the area is called 'Kara Kara Bazaar.'"_

Sure enough, just beyond the princess's form on the horizon, was the trademark rock formation of Kara Kara Bazaar, decorated by draping silk banners embroidered with gold.

Gerudo Desert was such a strange place. With its uniquely musty scent and rolling dunes of golden sand, it certainly held a beauty not beheld in Hyrule Field. It definitely brought back memories, even though he had only seen it once. Memories of younger days of youthful oblivion. Days without duty, or shame, or guilt...

The faint smile that had begun to tug at the corner of his lips faded back into his emotionless mask. He had to figure out what to do next. The princess didn't want him anywhere near her, and the guards of Gerudo Town certainly wouldn't let him in.

He supposed he would wait it all out at Kara Kara's inn. Gerudo Town was full of six-feet tall warrior women, so the princess would be safe there. Surely the Gerudo knew how to tell an ordinary traveler from a… an assassin. He would follow the princess to the town, then leave as soon as she reached the entrance to the town safely.

Then he'd wait.

He hadn't been very patient when he was younger. Always raring to go, barely able to stand still. But his training had broken that wild child (though he shamefully admitted that he wished he could act that way again - but that child was long gone). There had been one time where he had to stand in one place for nearly twelve hours… and it had started raining halfway through.

This wasn't that bad. He could, and _would_ , wait.

* * *

After a long day of dealing with Yiga thieves and Rito complaining about a lack of poultry, Gerudo Chief Urbosa decided it was about time she took a break.

Though the desert outside the city's walls was unpredictable, filled with Yiga and lizalfos, both masters of camouflage in the sandy environment, the city was filled with noise - she would never get a moment of peace.

Besides, Gerudo were trained from birth to withstand the terrors of their beautiful homeland. Though they usually went in groups of two, Urbosa, as the chief, was sure to be fine on her own. Going with someone would defeat the purpose of her outing.

As she walked out of the city, she spotted a familiar girl, mere yards away, practically stomping through the sand.

"Princess?"

Princess Zelda's eyes jerked towards hers, looking surprised. "Urbosa? What are you doing out here?"

Urbosa quickly made her way to the princess and engulfed her in an embrace. "I could ask you the same, Little Bird." Urbosa looked around, confused by the lack of company. "And without any sort of guard…?"

Zelda pulled away with a shake of her head. "No, _he's_ over there," she said, her voice dripping with great spite. She pointed to a figure roughly twenty feet or so away, which had turned away. "I suppose he was following me until I reached the town, but he's turned around for some reason."

Urbosa recognized the blue of the man's - no, _boy's_ tunic - even in the faded light of the twilight. It was Sir Link.

Basing her suspicions on the princess's demeanor, the distance between her and her personal knight, and the suddenness of her arrival… something had happened.

"Tell me everything, Princess," Urbosa ordered as she ushered the princess further into the desert, towards the place where Divine Beast Vah Naboris stood idly. "You will not spare a single detail."

* * *

"...And that's why I came here. I knew you could help me, Urbosa."

Urbosa cocked an eyebrow at that. "I think I understand - you came here to exploit the law of my town so that you could avoid your knight and get away from your father?"

The princess hesitated. "Essentially, yes. But your advice would be wonderful as well. You can read people better than anyone. Why is that knight the way he is?" she groaned.

Urbosa felt herself smirk. "You know, for hating your knight, you talk about him quite a lot."

Urbosa looked at the horizon ponderingly, ignoring Zelda's sputtered reaction. She had seen the boy very few times, but if her memory was correct, she had seen at a time long since passed, a mere vehvi trailing behind his mother. She had pleaded to let them stay for a few weeks until they found a safer place to stay.

The Gerudo Champion had certainly been surprised when she discovered that the very same boy had become the Hylian Champion. He was so very unlike the excitable child he had been. He was difficult to read now, even for someone like Urbosa that prided themselves on their ability to do so.

But there was always a slight darkness in his eyes - they were dulled and deadened, his shoulders always stiff as if carrying tons of bricks.

Urbosa looked to the princess, whose cheeks were still puffed from Urbosa's previous statement. Urbosa held in a chuckle. "Every human in this world has emotions," Urbosa said calmly. "Sometimes said emotions are very lacking in luster, of course, and that might be all you see in him."

Urbosa paused, thinking about how to give her the answer, but make the princess work for it.

"When I was young," Urbosa began again, "my mother told me a poem about the dusk. Though I don't remember all of it, this one line seemed to stand out the most to me: ' _Through the twilight's beauty, something solemn hides - those who don't seek it shall never find.'"_

The princess tilted her head inquisitively. "And what does it mean, Urbosa?"

Urbosa's lips curled into a sly grin. "I won't help you, and I doubt another knows - you will have to _seek_ to _find_."

The princess rolled her eyes. "You're making me work for it?"

"No one can obtain anything in this world without a price," Urbosa said with a wink. "Not even a princess."

The princess looked down at her lap, her brow furrowed. "Then what about Sir Link? He… he drew the Sword that Seals the Darkness without any _sort_ of trial or struggle!"

Urbosa frowned and looked back to the horizon, where the sun had begun to set, a strange sadness settling over her at the sight. They both remained silent, watching the light fade to dusk, and, finally, the dusk fade to darkness.

When Urbosa glanced over at the princess, she saw that she had fallen asleep beside her, her chest rising and falling rhythmically with her breaths.

Urbosa turned back to the night sky as she finally found the answer she had been seeking. The invisible weight on his shoulders, his deafening silence, the dull look in his eyes… Urbosa felt silly for not seeing it before.

"The price isn't getting the sword," Urbosa realized. _To even hold that sword in his hands puts thousands of lives on his shoulders. He's not paying a price... because he's already sacrificing_ himself _for everyone else._

* * *

That night, the princess dreamed of a faceless hero in blue, trudging his feet through deep mud and battling hordes of mechanical beasts. He continued to fight, despite the relentless downpour, deafening thunder, and wounds that gushed blood and stained the earth below him.

At the end of her dream, he laid motionless on the ground, gaping holes in his sides that left him in a pool of his own blood.

However, her dream mattered not - after all, when she awoke, all she could remember from the dream was the pounding thunder that had roared in her ears, and eyelids tugging over dulled blue eyes.

* * *

 **Well that's a nice ending. Nothing says peaceful like watching certain knights lie in pools of their own blood, right?**

 **Sorry this is updated later in the day than is normal. I usually update at 6 AM (roughly), but last night I had a sleep study and was, despite what one would think, left exhausted. Wires hooked up all over you while you're trying to sleep will do that, I guess. SO... I didn't go to school today and slept instead. There's a bright side! But now I have more homework, so maybe a not so bright side at the same time?**

 **I've seen Detective Pikachu twice and I love it.**

 **Hmm... I wonder what Urbosa's poem is referencing. Definitely NOT Twilight Princess. What makes you think that? I'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING TWILIGHT PRINCESS RELATED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! *erases search history regarding Twilight Princess* *pauses* Ooh... new "If Link Could Talk in Twilight Princess!" WAIT, YOU DIDN'T HEAR THAT!**

 ** _Important!_ I'm starting to plan the next big story for after _Before._ There are three ideas I have right now. One is post-BoTW, but also BoTW AU at the same time. Because time travel. The second one is post Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask, with the Hero of Time doing OP crap and figuring out about his past and stuff. Then the third one is a pre-Skyward Sword story, similar to _Crimson Hope_ (another of my stories, which is done and needs some work), but with more detail around Fi's origin, etc. Basically the Skyward Sword manga, but also including times years before it. I'm going to put a poll on my profile, and the one that gets the most votes will be the one I do next. For guests, if they'd like to be heard, they can put it in a review and I will make note of it!**

 **Thanks to all the reviewers! Guest reviewers will be getting less in depth replies on last chapter, because I'm late enough as it is, but I'm still trying my best to reply to everyone! If I missed you... I'm really sorry!**

 **Once again, if you find any mistakes, point them out, please!**

 **Subscribe to Mr. Beast! His wallet isn't as limitless as it seems!**

 **Sincerely (*rocking out to Zelda remixes* Huh? Did you say something? Oh, yeah, right...),**

 **Ari~**


	21. Chapter 20: Hints

**notaname: Oh, yes! Playing a suite from Minecraft and the Pokemon anime is WAY more important! GO DO THAT NOW! The jet ski thing is sad, but I'm still wondering how that happened. Like... what? But hey, apparently over 40,000 injuries per year in the US are toilet related, so... huh. Foreshadowing dance! YAY! It's a thing! That I thought of! That only I think is a thing, I guess! Well, have a nice week!**

 **ROLL THE CLIP! No, not towards the kitten! ACK! NOOOOOO!**

 _ **Chapter 20: Hints**_

Though he didn't want to admit it, Link was enjoying the peace of the bazaar. Though it was lacking in the area of quiet, surrounding noise always seemed to comfort him, no matter where. With ambient noise… well, it's _ambient noise._ How could it not comfort someone? The sounds of crickets in the grass, the whispers of the wind… it was scientifically proven to soothe! That was what Purah said, at least.

Even places without ambient noise that were rowdy and wild, like Kara Kara, gave him a peculiar sense of comfort. The sounds of people moving about their day in peace, free from burden. It had always been reassuring - no matter what happened to him, the world would go on.

But now, he supposed, it was different. Yes, the world would still go on if he died before the Calamity. If he failed to defeat it, however… hundreds would die.

 _Stop thinking about that_ , Link scolded himself, though the heaviness always remained there, within the deep recesses of his mind.

He drew in a deep breath and pulled his hood further over his face. He was lucky that he remembered a cloak - it was the only thing to hide his identity, and the dark cloak always seemed to work well enough. Yes, it could be warm, and he was in the middle of the desert, but he had suffered through worse conditions. He prefered the heat to being constantly watched. The bazaar often received strange visitors, so he was ignored.

"Excuse me," came a voice.

Link turned his head towards it and was met with a certain Gerudo chief, towering over him.

"Chief Urbosa?" Link asked, pulling his hood closer to his face.

"Hello to you, too, Sir Link," Chief Urbosa chuckled.

Link tensed at the sound of his name. _She recognized me?_

"...What are you doing here, Chief Urbosa?" Link asked.

"You, actually," the Gerudo replied. "I asked around for a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed knight and was met with no information. I came up here to see if I could spot you, and… here you are."

Link glanced to the bazaar below the rock formation. "It's a lot easier to avoid awkward questions when you're out of sight."

"That explains the cloak in the desert heat," Chief Urbosa chuckled. "So, waiting for a certain princess?"

Link released a soft sigh. "I suppose I'll be waiting awhile?"

"You know…" Link didn't like the slight mischief in Chief Urbosa's voice… "I _could_ get you into Gerudo Town. You'll have to watch the princess from a distance, but it would work."

Link tilted his head at the Gerudo Champion, allowing a bit of his unease to show through. "I'm not going to like this, am I?"

The Gerudo threw back her head and laughed heartily. Link felt his level of unease shoot further upward.

When the woman was done with her laughing, she looked him dead in the eye, a smirk on her lips. "It depends on how you look at it."

When she winked, Link _knew_ he wasn't going to like this.

* * *

Days passed in the desert sunlight. Zelda couldn't believe how much better she felt, just by being away from the castle. Every pressure was gone - in the voe-less walls of Gerudo Town, there was no knight watching her every move. There was no king to scorn her for her failure. There were no maids and servants to spread rumors about her, no unfeeling stone faces smiling at her.

She was free here.

Though she thought she noticed a strange woman trailing her from afar… and the moment that the princess tried to get a closer look, the woman would mysteriously vanish. But she didn't care. _Probably a mere coincidence that we're in the same areas at similar times._

Zelda made her way through the town, quick to leave the city. She had a day full of research ahead of her, and the prospect of it put a slight skip in her step.

* * *

Urbosa sighed as she rubbed circles into Zelda's back, her head resting peacefully on the Gerudo chief's lap. The poor girl had overworked herself trying to find out as much as she could about Naboris and the other artifacts of the desert. She had eventually convinced the princess to rest, which brought them to where they were now.

Urbosa heard footsteps, as silent as one could make them in leather boots. She turned her head to see a certain knight, a slight red clear on his cheeks (despite the dark, might I add) as he stuffed a vibrantly colored garment into his pouch.

"Well you certainly got here fast," Urbosa said with a slight smile. "I should have expected as much from the princess's own appointed knight." She turned her head back to the stars with a sigh. "She was out on a survey all day today. Still as the sands, now."

Urbosa jerked her head back towards the boy suddenly. "So? Spill it, boy. Have you two been getting along alright?"

The knight did no more than shift slightly, but that was all Urbosa needed. The meaning behind it was clear.

"It's okay," she said, voicing as much. "I know. Your silence speaks volumes." Urbosa looked back down at the princess in her lap. "She gets frustrated every time she looks up and sees you carrying that sword on your back. It makes her feel like a failure when it comes to her own destiny."

When Urbosa looked back at the knight, his head was bowed low, shameful. "Don't worry," Urbosa added quickly. "It's not like you carry the blame in any of this." Her eyes went back to Zelda. "It's unfortunate… she's put in more than enough time. Ever since she was a young girl, she's gone through rigorous daily routines to show her dedication…"

Urbosa looked back out to the stars, remembering. "She once passed out in the freezing waters trying to access this… sealing power. And she has nothing to show for it. That's the motivation driving her research - a backup plan of sorts. I'd be doing the same thing. She really is quite special."

Urbosa glanced back at the knight, who had averted his eyes. If she had figured him out the way she thought she had… many of the feelings the princess felt were all too familiar to him.

"You be sure to protect her with your life." Urbosa knew that the boy had enough on his shoulders, but… she also knew the princess to be too stubborn for her own good. Perhaps giving him his own job to get done would help distract him, as well. "It's quite the honor."

It was quite sad, though Urbosa was pained to admit it. Daruk, Mipha, Revali, and herself… they were all experienced warriors and leaders. Not only that, but they had chosen this path. The princess and her knight… they had been thrown into this destiny without any choice. Not only that, but they were young. Too young for this Calamity Ganon nonsense.

Urbosa straightened up. "The night brings a chill. It's probably time we take her in..." Then an idea came to her. The princess was avoiding Link to the best of her ability… but… "Or…"

Urbosa raised her free hand and, barely having to focus her energy, snapped.

Thunder rumbled in the near distance as lightning flashed across the sky. The princess snapped awake.

* * *

"Urbosa - what was that?" Zelda gasped as she awoke, glancing around with hurried anxiety. "Did you feel that?"

When she caught a glance of sky-blue, she craned her head back towards it, though more slowly.

A shiver ran down her spine. It was Sir Link? "Wait, what-? How did you-? What are you doing here?" she sputtered.

The Gerudo chief beside her threw back her head and laughed heartily. Zelda, confused, voiced as much. "What's so funny?"

"I should go," said a low, quiet voice, causing Zelda to turn her head towards the knight. "Sarqso, Chief Urbosa." With that, the knight bowed and turned away, walking off with the same stiff, perfect posture that he always had.

Then a thought came to her. _Sarsqo?_ That was Gerudo - or at least, Zelda thought it was Gerudo. When did Sir Link learn Gerudo? What did sarsqo even _mean_? _And what was he even doing here?_

"Thank you," Urbosa said, turning Zelda's attention back to her.

"What?" Zelda asked, confused. "Why are you thanking me?"

Urbosa chuckled slightly. "Sarsqo means 'thank you' in Gerudo," she explained. "I was surprised that he still remembered any."

"Remembered?" Zelda echoed.

Urbosa turned her head to the sky, where glittering stars shined in their places. "He stayed in Gerudo Town for a time when he was younger; all vehvi - children - are allowed in the city, whether voe or vai - I made that exception to the law myself. It's rare that we get anyone that young in the desert, but… his situation required it."

Zelda found herself becoming curious. "Wh?" she asked.

Urbosa looked at her with a grin. "You'll have to find out yourself."

Zelda groaned. "I just want to know why he acts like such a pompous, entitled idiot! Is that too much to ask?"

Urbosa cocked an eyebrow. "Calling names, now, are you? What did I tell you?"

"You've told me a lot, Urbosa. You'll have to specify."

"The poem," Urbosa clarified.

Zelda found the words come back to her. " _Through the twilight's beauty, something solemn hides - those who don't seek it shall never find."_

Zelda groaned again. "Yes, but what does it _mean?_ " She had been puzzling over it every day now, struggling to figure out what it meant.

"Perhaps telling you the rest of the poem behind it will help?" Urbosa suggested.

That got Zelda's attention. "There's more?"

Urbosa nodded. "It may be too big a hint, but I'll tell you… on one condition."

"What condition?" Zelda asked slowly. _Please don't be what I think it is._

"You'll have to return to the castle in two days," Urbosa said, speaking the very words that Zelda didn't want to hear. "I do believe that Sir Link has informed everyone of your location, but you are worrying them, Princess. Not just that, either - I'm sure that Doctor Purah has much that she wishes to share with you. Who knows what she's discovered while you were gone?"

Zelda sighed. She really did miss _some_ things about the castle… but she did not particularly want to go back to the whisperings behind her back, scoldings from her father, and stares. But Purah… the books in the library… and, of course, the rest of the poem… perhaps they were worth it.

"Fine," she said.

Urbosa smiled as if she had known all along that she would give in. "Let's see if I can remember the poem properly." She cleared her throat.

" _Beast with blue eyes, day dark as dusk, a princess's heart so full of mistrust; The clock ticks on, the sun slowly rises, a warmth grows between with the coming dawn._

" _The princess falls, but she knows it's in vain - for her gate must be shattered, her heart just the same..."_

Urbosa paused. "That's all I remember until the end. The rest of the poem is really unnecessary in the big picture - the phrase I consider most defining would be the last line..."

" _Through the twilight's beauty something solemn hides,"_ Zelda repeated from memory. " _those who don't seek it shall never find."_

Urbosa grinned knowingly. "That's right."

"What does any of this have to do with my appointed knight?" Zelda grumbled.

"Well," Urbosa said with a wink, "you'll have to _seek_ that out, now, won't you?"

* * *

 **Hello there! Happy Memorial Day to my fellow Americans (I'm pretty sure it's a USA only holiday)! I have a oneshot that I'm going to publish in honor of it today. It's a very serious oneshot, because Memorial Day is no laughing matter! Probably. Maybe? FI, GET OVER HERE AND DO THE STATISTICS FOR ME!**

 **Remember that poll I mentioned last week? Well, I forgot to put it on my profile, so no one saw it. Oops. It's there now! Please do vote - I need to figure out which of the stories I want to do now so that I can start planning for it, and maybe even get a head start on writing it. If not the poll, you can put it in a review! A few reviewers have already expressed their interests, and they are most certainly noted.**

 **Review! I'm sure I made mistakes in this chapter - you can correct the smallest mistakes and I'll still appreciate it IMMENSELY! Or you can just write about whatever, I really don't mind.**

 **Have a wonderful week, y'all (y'all?)!**

 **Sincerely (y'all... I still can't get over that!),**

 **Ari~**


	22. Chapter 21: Fool

**notaname : ****Well, the definition of wet is when something is "covered or saturated with water or another liquid." Water, technically, is not covered or saturated with itself. Therefore, water is not wet. BOOM! Hah, the thing with the trombone player reminds me of this time during my sister's elementary school concert - she was singing SO MUCH LOUDER than everyone else. But to be fair, she was like, five or something. Five year olds are very lacking in the department of discipline, so I'll give it to her. Your sister, however, sounds very evil compared to mine. I just invented the foreshadowing dance. It probably looks like the ghost type Z-Move pose in Pokemon or something. Hmm... well, if you imagined up, say, unicorns, they aren't real, yet are real in the mind. The idea is clear, the logic is clear... everything is real except for the actual physical existence. You know how people say "if you set your mind to something, you can do anything"? My friend took this phrase literally and asked, "Does that mean I can find DRAGONS?!" She's a Wings of Fire fan (I am too, but whatever), so... yeah. Have a good week!**

 _ **Chapter 21: Fool**_

Two wonderfully blissful days had come and gone. The time had come to be shipped off back to Hyrule Castle. Zelda's father would surely be furious, but… she had a job to do. Failure though she may be, she still had duties as the Princess of Hyrule.

... _And_ she promised Urbosa, not that the hint was even close to enough. She still continued puzzling over the riddle, failing to come to any sort of conclusion. _Through the twilight's beauty, something solemn hides - those who don't seek it shall never find._

She had long since committed it to memory. What it meant was another story. She felt nothing as she saw the sunset - awe, perhaps, as it was quite beautiful. The poem said as much. But no sense of sadness or solemnity came over her, as Urbosa's poem also said. What was she supposed to find? And, as she had asked many times, what in Hylia's name did this have to do with her appointed knight?

 _That boy,_ she thought angrily. _If only he would just leave me alone. All he's done is trail me and constantly remind me of my failures._

"I am to escort you to the stables to wait for your knight," the Gerudo soldier said with a dip of her head, jolting Zelda back to reality. "And don't get any ideas," the Gerudo added firmly. "I'm to ensure that you stay put until he arrives."

 _I've been able to escape from knights before,_ Zelda thought silently. _I'll figure out how to slip away without him, whether you like it or not._ "As you say," Zelda said instead, nodding.

* * *

As he peeled away from the wall, Link tugged his hood closer to his face, trailing behind the princess as silently as he could, though he kept a decent distance. Urbosa had warned him that the princess would do all she could to avoid him. So, as before, he was going to follow from afar.

He couldn't keep lying to himself, however. Link… he feared what lay in wait. He felt a prickling sense of unease. It was as if a beast lay in the shadows, awaiting the perfect moment to pounce.

So he kept up his guard up, his hand readily prepared to draw the Master Sword at a moment's notice. Link could only hope that it wasn't necessary… though, he'd had this feeling before, too often for his liking. And when it came… it was never wrong.

 _Stay vigilant,_ he thought. _Stay watchful, silent, ever the warrior..._

Link breathed out a silent sigh.

 _Hylia, give me strength._

* * *

Everything was going fine, according to plan. Not a single monster or obstacle had gotten in Zelda and the Gerudo's way. They continued on at a near leisurely pace, no signs of danger setting off the Gerudo.

As they passed a small group of travelers, however, the Gerudo soldier froze in place.

" _Sa'oten_ ," she breathed. The Gerudo glanced back at the group, which had paused in their trek.

Zelda looked at the Gerudo soldier questioningly. "Is something wrong?"

"Run, princess," the Gerudo said quietly.

"What?" Where did this sudden shock come from all of the sudden?

"Run!" the Gerudo cried as the group of travelers turned to them, smirks adorning their faces.

Then, in a swirl of cards, red suited, white masked assassins took their place.

Zelda quickly turned, hearing the Gerudo beginning to fight off the assassins. _Yiga?_ The very ones Purah had warned her about… the very ones that she had laughed at, calling them mere bandits and nothing more.

And now they were after her.

Adrenaline flowed through her veins, as speedily acting as a deadly poison. There was only one thing that she could risk thinking about right now - survival.

She glanced backward, and immediately realized her mistake. In the distance, the Gerudo soldier lay limp on the ground… two Yiga rushing at her with inhuman speed.

Zelda forced her legs to keep going, though she felt as if she could freeze with fear at any moment. _Faster. Just a bit farther. The bazaar is right there! Help!_

Then the two Yiga appeared before her out of thin air.

She quickly pivoted, turning speedily and attempting to escape, but yet another Yiga blocked her path.

She backed away with a strangled gasp, but felt her heel snag on a rock, sending her tumbling to the ground.

The Yiga before her raised their sickle, the cold steel glinting viciously in the sunlight.

 _This is the end,_ she realized. _After everything… I will die a failure and a fool._ _I'm so sorry,_ she thought. Who she was apologizing to, she did not know. Herself? Her knight? The Gerudo who had died because of her? Her kingdom?

It mattered not. Death was to come. She prepared for the pain…

...but no pain came.

She heard a quiet grunt, and the strangled cry of a sudden death. However, the cry was not hers.

She opened her eyes, risking a glance upwards, and gaped at the scene she saw.

The knight. The one who she had scorned and scolded relentlessly. He was there, standing over her, the body of the Yiga limp on the ground beside her. She thought she saw something in the knight's eyes - a silent storm, lightning flashing.

She saw the knight straighten, brandishing his sword, which glowed as brilliant a cerulean as his eyes.

The two remaining Yiga backed up slightly, but one paused in its movements. "You!" a male voice hissed gleefully from behind the mask. "So you _are_ the champion! Just as the master said!"

Her knight remained silent, the familiar coldness in his eyes somehow comforting.

"How does it feel?" the Yiga laughed. "How does it feel, to know that you almost had to add _another_ to your list of guilt?" _Another?_ She had no time to think on it - the Yiga continued to speak. "To realize she almost died because of you? You're lucky you were quick enough _this_ -"

"Leave," her knight interrupted, his voice cold as ice. She recognized it instantly. He had spoken that way the night she had tried to sneak away - when he had thought her some sort of intruder... or assassin. "More blood needn't be spilled," he continued. "Go now, before I have second thoughts about sparing your lives."

"Not as vengeful as you should be," the Yiga chuckled. "Ever the fool, aren't you, _Hero_?"

But he said no more, his companion disappearing with him in a whirling swish of cards.

The knight's eyes lingered on the place where the Yiga vanished momentarily. After heaving a deep breath and loosening the grip on his sword with his hand, he turned towards her, offering her his left hand (free of a weapon).

She recalled a moment quite like this - when the guardian had been about to take her life. The one he had destroyed… saving her life. He had offered his hand with the same blank expression, and she had refused it, instead standing on her own and scolding him mercilessly.

She had been such a fool back then, hadn't she?

Zelda gripped his hand and the knight raised her to her feet.

He scanned her quickly. "Are you injured?" he asked quietly.

Zelda shook her head silently.

Her knight nodded, seeming satisfied, and freed her hand. However… she felt something warm and sticky upon release.

She looked down at her hand, only to see crimson blood… and it wasn't hers.

" _You're_ injured," she realized, looking back up at him.

Her knight tilted his head at her, before lifting his hand to his face. She could see the blood that had seeped onto the leather of his glove. She also saw a long, jagged cut in the sleeve of his undershirt, going from the wrist to his elbow, all of it stained with a vibrant red. She was surprised she hadn't noticed it earlier.

"I'm fine," he said curtly, dropping his arm back to his side. "It's time to go."

She knew what he meant. _There could be more._ Yet Zelda hesitated. "I will go right now," Zelda said slowly, "if you promise that you'll get that patched up as soon as possible."

Her knight gave her an unreadable look. But there was emotion in it - small, but it was there in the slight raise of a single brow.

After a moment, he nodded silently. In her experience, she knew that he wouldn't speak another word.

* * *

They reached the stable, in the same silence as always. This time, however, it was not frustrating or infuriating. This time, Zelda found the feeling of those eyes on her back a comfort… she knew that no Yiga would be sneaking up on her again. Not as long as he was there, following quietly from behind.

Even so, she felt guilt creeping up inside of her, and this time, she didn't dare to swat it away. She deserved this guilt. She had been cruel.

She glanced up at the knight who sat mere feet away. He had rolled up his sleeve and was currently wrapping the freshly cleaned wound.

 _It's deep_ , Zelda thought with a wince. That much was clear. And it still hadn't ceased bleeding. But her knight had not so much as winced as he cleaned it, and approached wrapping it with the same steely demeanor.

Zelda looked down at the diary in her hands. Where should she start? _"I am unsure how to put today's events into words."_ That seemed a good start. " _Words so often evade me lately, and now more than ever."_

She hesitated. She seemed to be doing that an awful lot as of late. " _He saved me."_

After that, the words seemed to flow easily. " _Without a thought for his own life, he protected me from the ruthless blades of the Yiga Clan. Though I've been cold to him all this time...taking my selfish and childish anger out on him at every turn…"_ Zelda felt the guilt grow even stronger within her. " _Still, he was there for me. I won't ever forget that._

" _Tomorrow,"_ she decided, " _I shall apologize for all that has transpired between us. And then… I will try talking to him. To Sir Link. It's worth a shot."_

* * *

 **Hmm... this rewrite is FAR more satisfying than the old story. I occasionally look back at the old chapters, think about using parts, and then decide against it. I've improved by leaps and bounds! If you haven't read the old story, please don't. Save yourself from those horrors!**

 **Blablabla, excuses for publishing slightly later than usual, migraines, blablabla, tiredness, etc, etc. Life happens, and that's fine! I still got it out today, and that's all that matters.**

 **Secret review phrase is the word "fool," because why not?**

 **For my fellow writers out there, I have found myself stuck on the chapter after the chapter after this one. Blank page syndrome SUCKS. I shouldn't have ended at that spot! So yeah. If I publish a bit later than usual next week, I blame that.**

 **Remember to vote for the next story using the poll on my profile! For guests, the options are listed on chapter 19, underlined in the author's note, and you can vote via review. It is very difficult to decide between stories when there's a two-way tie (though I find myself leaning towards the OoT one).**

 **THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE REVIEWERS! Your support is very much appreciated! If I missed anyone... I sincerely apologize! I THINK I got everyone, but I checked this morning at 6 when I had a killer migraine. SOOOO... if I missed you, that's my bad! I blame the migraine!**

 **Sincerely (Hear me! "With your ears!" "And your eyes!"),**

 **Ari~**


	23. Chapter 22: Apologies

**Sheikah Knight: Aw, thank you! I'm glad that the old one wasn't _completely_ bad! But yeah, this one is better (don't tell old _Before_ ).**

 **notaname : I remember I got to piano lessons early once, and there were students practicing an ensemble piece. A piano one, of course. The person doing the melody was playing too fast, the person doing the other melody was playing almost as fast, but not quite, and then the person playing the quiet background piece (I don't quite know what to call that part) was playing it at the perfect tempo. I tickle my siblings. A lot. I used to pinch, but then I got punched in the face, sooo... yeah, I'm good. WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, I got it. Have you ever seen this one video (real specific there) called... I think Wii Theme, but it's a dance routine was what it was called. That dance. That dance can be the foreshadowing dance. I might actually write something Wings of Fire someday. Maybe. **

**Guest : To be fair, I wrote the Author's Note before changing the chapter title, so I DIDN'T do the secret review phrase off of the chapter! ...It was the other way around. ._.**

 **SomeGuest : Yeah, I find that the chapters are getting shorter lately. I'm trying to maintain 7 pages each chapter (in the original font and spacing and such), but some are more like... six and a half. Oh well. Link's childhood... don't we all want to know? I mean, I don't. I already know, and it SUCKS. The grammar in the review is fine, actually! As far as I can tell, at least. Sav'aaq!**

 **Have a wonderful week, y'all! Now... ROLL THE TAPE! Quick, before the cat - AAAAAAAAHHHH NOOoooOO!**

 _ **Chapter 22: Apologies**_

"Chief Urbosa," a Gerudo said, approaching the throne upon which the Gerudo chief sat.

"Captain Barta," the chief greeted. "What brings you here at this hour? Are you not testing the night guard?"

"And aren't you supposed to be asleep?" the captain challenged.

"I was just about to head in," the chief admitted. "What is it?"

"A Hylian vai," the captain said. "She wishes to reside in the city until further notice."

"Oh?" the chief asked. "I do not see why there is a problem."

"She is accompanied by her son," the captain replied. "She pleads for his allowance."

"...His age?" the chief asked quietly.

The captain paused. "He looked about five or six. He is a voe, yes, but the law does not specify whether vehvi are allowed."

"Hmm…" Chief Urbosa paused. "They are just outside, are they not?"

The captain nodded.

"Bring them in."

The captain turned and left, returning moments later with a woman, her light brown hair braided messily, dark bags under her eyes. In her arms she carried a sleeping vehvi, a voe.

"Sav'aaq, Chief Urbosa," the woman said with a respectful dip of her head, pronouncing the Gerudo greeting with a perfect accent.

Chief Urbosa cocked an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by the woman's use of language. "Sav'aaq. And who might you be?"

"Lydia…" she paused hesitantly. "Lydia… Equitem."

Though her hesitation to speak her own name was suspicious, the chief did not challenge it. "Captain Barta has informed me of your wish to stay temporarily. What, may I ask, would this be?"

"I…" the woman, Lydia, paused. "My son and I… our home is no longer safe. We'll only need to stay until I can find somewhere more…"

"Accepting?" the chief offered.

Lydia nodded. "I doubt my son will be welcome for long… but Gerudo Town is one of the safest places in the kingdom," she explained. "As I said before, I only ask to stay until I can find a better place."

The chief barely hesitated. "Of course. I see no problem."

Relief came onto the woman's tired face. " _Sarsqo_ , Chief Urbosa. I cannot thank you enough."

* * *

 _Eleven Years Later…_

As the sun began to set, Zelda found a nice spot just off the road to set up a camp. Her knight (whose name she was now incapable of even thinking without feeling guilty) quickly scavenged some firewood, cleared the area of debris, and started a fire. All of this was done before sunlight was gone.

She knew that now was the best time to apologize. They were alone, so no one would overhear and spread rumors about a bad relationship between them. Though, now that she thought about it, she was sure they were already in existence, and had been for quite some time.

She glanced at her knight, who sat across from the fire, skewering some mushrooms that he had found nearby. It had to be now, before she chickened out yet again. She had tried to speak earlier… but had decided against it.

 _Hylia give me strength._

"Sir Knight…?" Zelda asked hesitantly, internally face-palming at her formal tone. _At least it isn't yelling at him._

The guilt crept back as he looked her way, his piercing blue eyes reflecting the light of the flames. He tilted his head questioningly, in a way Zelda almost considered cute.

"I… I would like to apologize," she squeaked out. After a few moments, it seemed no reply would come. She opened her mouth to continue, but to her surprise, she was interrupted.

"Whatever for, Your Highness?" he asked in that quiet voice she heard so rarely.

Zelda cast her eyes downward. "You ask as if I have done no wrong. Ever since you were named my knight, I have been nothing short of cruel to you. Instead of scolding you for doing nothing against me, I should have been more respectful towards you, and for that, I sincerely apologize."

For a while, no response came, and Zelda risked a glance upward. She had expected anger, or frustration, or, more likely, _nothing_ to be on his face. But instead, a thoughtful expression met her eyes. However… it vanished the moment she made eye contact.

"If you are to apologize," her knight said quietly, "then I suppose I must apologize as well."

"What could you possibly apologize for?" Zelda asked, jerking her head upward in surprise. "You've done nothing short of a perfect job."

Her knight drew in a long, quiet breath, before releasing it. "My apologies for the bluntness, but you almost _died_ , Your Highness. If I was a moment later..."

He didn't finish his sentence, nor did he need to. "But you _did_ make it in time," Zelda pointed out. "Now is not the time to dwell on 'what ifs.' What matters is that I have never gotten so much as a scratch in your care."

She heard a slight chuckle, quiet and deep, that was quickly cut off. _Was that him?_ She didn't know. It was too short to be sure, but the way his throat had seemed to vibrate made her think so.

"I suppose that makes us even, then, Your Highness," said the knight, blank as ever, meeting her eyes with his own.

It really didn't. She had been _horrible,_ hadn't she? But here her knight was, brushing it off as if she really _had_ done no wrong.

"At the very least," Zelda said quietly, "let me do _something_ to make it up to you."

But the knight merely shook his head. " _It's not necessary,"_ he seemed to say.

Zelda sighed. "As you wish, Sir Link."

However, as she ate her mushroom skewer, she promised to make it up to him - whether he liked it or not.

* * *

"Uhh, Purah?"

"Yes, Liari?"

"...Why do you have a cat?"

Purah huffed and scratched at the black poof's little head. "For your information, it is a _kitten._ "

Liari rolled her eyes. "Yes, but you didn't answer the question."

"I'm watching it for someone," Purah said plainly.

It had been two weeks since Zelda had run off, Link following not far behind. Liari had spent most of the time moping around - " _Why did he leave without telling me? Why won't Impa listen to me? Why won't_ anyone _listen to me? No one understands!"_

Unfortunately, Purah had been forced to endure all of that. It seemed that the girl had not noticed the kitten wandering the lab until just now, having been far too busy grumbling and groaning. It seemed she had finally gotten over it, thank _goodness_.

"Watching it for who?" Liari asked curiously, tilting her head.

" _Please don't tell anyone - the only other person that knows is Impa. If the captain catches wind of this..."_

" _Don't worry. I promise I won't tell. Now go!"_

 _Sorry, Liari._ Purah knew Liari was foolish with her words. She always let things slip, no matter how secretive she thought she was. "I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," Purah scoffed.

"Fine then," Liari huffed. She leaned down and pet the kitten herself. She smiled as she ruffled its fur. "What's its name?"

Purah shrugged. "The person I'm watching it for… I think they just call it 'Kitten.'" At that, the little kitten looked up at her and blinked its yellow eyes, purring. "It thinks that's the closest thing to its name."

"Boy or girl?" Liari asked, eyes on the kitten she was petting.

"Boy," Purah replied. "You know, I was thinking about conducting an experiment - I've noticed that petting it has caused my stress levels to decrease. Perhaps there is something more scientific to it."

"Hmm…" Liari hummed. She stood up straight, stretching her arms above her head. "Well, I heard a certain princess is returning today."

"Yeah. I heard," Purah mumbled. She picked up the kitten, stood from her seat, and laid it back on the chair. "Now, about those guardian parts…"

* * *

" _Dame Impa has informed me that writing a journal would be beneficial for my mental health. She said quite clearly that, if I did not journal, she would read my mind and force me to speak instead until every thought came clean._

" _It is foolish, in my opinion. To leave one's thoughts lying around for anyone to come across… gossip mongers specifically… it's simply idiotic. However, it is of my understanding that records of the past are important. My current area of historical research (though I am not meant to have one), is lacking in first person documentation. Even if I do not allow anyone to read it until my death, I must inform the future generations in ways that I was not._

" _Allow me to properly introduce myself, then. I am Sir Link Equitem of the Hyrulean Royal Guard. I was chosen by the sword that seals the darkness to defend my country from the Calamity, and I could not be more honored."_

Link paused in his writing with a sigh.

" _You are not being honest,"_ Fi whispered in the depths of his mind.

"I know," Link mumbled, setting the quil down beside the journal. He stood up from his desk and stretched his arms above his head, his stiff joints popping.

He collapsed down onto his tough mattress with a slight groan. "I don't like this."

" _The mattress, or your current circumstances?"_

"Both," he mumbled. After returning to the castle, the princess had ordered him to take the week off to rest. "There's nothing to _do_."

" _You are doing nothing when guarding the princess. Is this not the same?"_

"When I'm on duty, there's more _purpose_ ," Link said, struggling to explain. "Then, I'm alert. I have to ensure the princess's safety. I'm doing something _useful._ But now I'm stuck in a dull room with _nothing_ useful to do."

" _Is that not what the journaling is for?"_

"I still don't see the point," Link muttered, rolling onto his left side, carefully keeping his left arm out of harm's way. "It's just writing down thoughts that no one is ever going to care for."

" _If you were to find a record of a previous wielder, would you care for it?"_

"Of course I would," Link mumbled. "I would finally get some answers."

" _Have you ever considered that they had as few answers as yourself?"_

Link shot the sheathed sword leaning against his door a glare. "Well _that's_ reassuring. Not even the legendary hero preceding me, the one who didn't suck at all - much the opposite, actually - didn't figure anything out?"

" _Have patience,"_ the sword said quietly. " _All will become clear in the end."_

That's what everyone always said. When were they going home? Later. When would people tell him why they left in the first place? Later. When would they explain why he was being trained? Later. When would the goddesses justify their choosing him? Later! His patience, though famously durable and imperishable, was running thin!

He closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. _Just calm yourself… relax. You're being dramatic again._

He shouldn't be moping about in this cell of a room. He should be out, training! He attempted to lift his head, but he found his body disobeying, remaining in place.

 _I'm such a failure. Why was I, of all people, chosen? I'm useless! The world would be better off without me..._

Suddenly, he realized just how tired he was. His limbs were heavy as rock, and he was suddenly all too aware of the dark bags under his eyes. It wasn't long until he succumbed to slumber.

* * *

 _Run._

That was the only thought on his mind. The moment he had seen ashes where he knew a small hut was tucked into the hills, it was like relieving a distant memory. Images came back to him - images of ashes, cries of pain, maniacal laughter...

 _Not again,_ he pleaded, making his way up the path. _Not again, not again…_

He ran and ran, but he never seemed to get any closer. He heard laughter in his ears, the laughter of an insane man. He felt like he was drowning, drowning, _drowning_.

And then he gasped awake, ears ringing.

* * *

 **Hullo, there, everyone! This week is my last week of school! Wooh! And due to my lack of a social life, that means more writing time! Wooh! And, if I get ahead on my writing, that means I can do other hobbies more!**

 **Wooh! Why the wooh? Wooh is wooh, ya know? Just... wooh? ("Wooh" is the secret review phrase now)**

 **I struggled a bit with getting stuff into this chapter. I hadn't been planning to do anything past the Purah and Liari scene (which was kind of rough), but it didn't come out to enough pages soooo... you get a Link being depressed (sort of) scene! You also got that little scene at the end. Run, boi, run!**

 **Well, as always, leave a review! I got a LOT of reviews last chapter, and I'm glad that so many people have enjoyed the story!**

 **Wear your seat belt.**

 **Sincerely (WOOH!),**

 **Ari~**


	24. Chapter 23: Fast and Prayer

**notaname : I had a piano recital on Saturday, and for one of the pieces I had to play piano for there were RECORDERS. I need not say more (except they were all playing the notes wrong and it sounded like crap). Why couldn't I have violin like the other group? Or just no recorders? Just one punch in the arm? Lucky. One of my brothers rough houses with everyone, even though the moment he gets hurt the slightest bit he starts crying his eyes out. Then he attacks someone five minutes later. I guess the dance kind of does look like that, doesn't it? I last saw it a while ago, so my suggestion was purely based on "I think that one looked a bit spooky." But I guess it really did work - it brought Ganon's rotten corpse back to life (BoTW sequel HYYYYPE)! I don't think I'll be doing any crossover fics anytime soon, but I do have ideas in mind for plain old WoF. **

**Guestfrombefore : Clever use of woah. I'm glad you've been enjoying the story! Wait, you've never played a Zelda game?! HOW DARE YOU?! (It's fine, I don't play the games that much myself - I just own all the manga and books and stuff. I may not be great at the games, but I'm an expert on the storylines) Oh, don't worry about rambling! I do it all the time, myself - I can be annoying like that. Besides, I've seen reviews MUCH longer than yours, so it's completely fine!**

 **Someguest : ALL ABOARD THE BOTW 2 HYPE TRAIN! *CHOOOOOOOOOOO* Okay, humor aside, it looks absolutely AMAZING! It looks like the new game is going to be much more like an RPG, and I'm loving the darker vibes. HYYYYPE!**

 _ **Chapter 23: Fast and Prayer**_

 _They say that good things come to those that wait. Yet I've been waiting for ten years, and nothing has come!_

Zelda drew in a deep, calming breath and shifted in her kneeling position. The day of the new moon was always a hard one. When a new month came, and the moon was absent from the sky, Zelda was forced to sit herself in the temple, spending the whole day fasting and praying for her powers to awaken within her.

 _Forgive me for my outburst,_ she prayed desperately. Praying would unlock her power… right?

It didn't matter if it would. She would continue to be forced to pray, whether beneficial or not. " _Prayer will awaken your power,"_ her father always insisted, despite the lack of documentation to support that theory. " _Show your dedication, and all will be well."_

 _It will work eventually,_ she told herself, shoving aside those feelings of doubt. _The goddesses will answer my prayers._

"Princess," came a voice from behind her. She opened her eyes, heavy from the long hours spent closed, and turned.

"Sage Rauru," she greeted, for there stood the wizened old sage, Rauru, his owl companion perched on his shoulder, talons gripping into his golden robes.

Sage Rauru was a strange man. He had been the sage for as long as she could remember, and her mother had once told her it had been the same for her. He never seemed to become any different - his mustache was always snowy white and well kept, as it had been when she was a child, and though he was visibly old, he had hardly changed in the last decade.

"The night has fallen," the old sage said. "The chefs have prepared a meal for you in the kitchen if you'd like to fill your stomach before bed."

Zelda rose from her knees, which ached from the day spent kneeling, and smiled gratefully at the sage. "Thank you, Rauru."

The old sage smiled and dipped his head. "It is my pleasure, Princess. Now off you go." He waved her towards the door, Zelda rolling her eyes out of amusement.

* * *

Athi was a simple woman. She had been a cook at the castle from a young age (or, at the very least, younger than she was now), and prided herself for being revered as the best cook at the castle.

That, of course, was the reason that she was chosen to prepare the princess's meal. But earlier, she had found herself panicking. With the time limits, and a mere team of one, to prepare a wondrous meal for the princess… it was difficult, to say the least.

But then a certain boy had come to her rescue.

Athi looked up from the meat she was preparing to see the young man dutifully seasoning the soup.

"Thank you very much, Link," she said with a smile.

Link turned his head, meeting her eyes with a blank expression. "Of course, Athi. I owe you more than I can say."

Athi chuckled. "I _have_ kept you out of trouble a fair few times, but that is hardly enough for you to be indebted."

Link shook his head. "No, really," he said quietly. "Thank you for being there for me."

Athi tilted her head at the stoic knight. "Of course, Link. I'm sure there are plenty of other people that are there for you - you just need to look a bit closer."

The boy turned his head back down to the soup, his lips parting in a silent sigh.

Athi turned back to her own work as well. "Well, I do believe that you give my cooking skills a run for the money. If you were a cook, they wouldn't even _need_ me around!"

The comment was met with a quiet hum. It was a better response than the silence of earlier.

Athi smiled. The boy was a force to be reckoned with. He was clever as a fox, yet stubborn as an old donkey. She recalled the times when her comments were met with teasing remarks and sarcastic comebacks.

The old cook found herself frowning. She knew he was the same on the inside. She knew that shutting down was his coping mechanism. After all, he had acted the same way when he first came to the castle. Quiet, blank-faced… she had never found out what had caused it, but she knew it had to have been something horrible.

Athi shook off the thought. She was in no place to pry. That's why she had merely silently stood beside him back then. Sometimes that was the only thing one could do, after all.

"Soup's done," Link's voice called.

Athi tapped the final seasonings onto the meat before making her way to the boy. She was met with a delicious smell that warmed her insides.

"It smells _wonderful,_ Link!" Athi praised, clapping her hands. "This ought to please the princess!"

At that, the boy bowed his head. "I should go now. The sun is probably setting by now."

"Don't you want the princess to praise you for your work?" Athi asked. "You've spent a lot of time on that. You must want some sort of appreciation!"

He gave her a hesitant look. "The princess is not the most… _fond_ of me. I'm sure that's why she's put me on break until further notice."

Athi had heard rumors about the princess's treatment of Link. Rumors that her maids often listened to fierce tirades about Link, and rumors of her disappearance being solely for the sake of avoiding him.

Rumors of the crushing guilt the princess had felt after he rescued her from the clutches of the Yiga.

"You saved her life," Athi pointed out. "She mustn't hate you _that_ badly."

Link bit his lip slightly, a rare show of uncertainty.

"I…" he trailed off with a shake of his head. "See you later."

And with that, the boy made his way to the exit, the kitchen door swinging behind him.

About fifteen minutes passed before the door swung open again. Athi turned her eyes to the door and smiled as a certain young woman entered.

"This smells wonderful, Ma'am!" the princess said with a smile. "I do believe my mouth is watering."

"Sit down and eat," Athi said with a smile, gesturing to a stool. "I hope that everything is to your liking, Princess."

Athi found herself chuckling as the hungry princess devoured the food as quickly as she could while remaining polite, beaming at the taste.

The princess swallowed a mouthful of the soup her smile growing. "This soup is incredible!"

"That's something I can't take credit for," Athi said with a wink. "Believe it or not, one of the _knights_ cooked that up."

The princess looked at her with confusion. "Really?"

"Yes," the cook said, nodding. "I do believe you know him. He is your appointed knight, after all."

The princess's eyes grew wide. "I never thought Sir Link to be one to cook…"

Athi nodded. "When he first became a squire, he often snuck down to the kitchens to experiment with cooking. He's actually quite the glutton, believe it or not," Athi chuckled. "When my fellow servants realized that some materials had started to go missing," the cook continued, "they vowed to find the culprit." Athi grinned. "I was the only one to catch him. He apologized profusely the moment he was caught."

"Oh dear," the princess said with a frown. "I never thought him to be a troublemaker, either."

Athi shook her head quickly. "No, he wasn't necessarily a troublemaker. Merely a young man developing a hobby he wasn't meant to have."

"Wasn't meant to…?" the princess trailed off, but her question was clear.

"Captain Arduum is a very strict man," Athi explained. "He does not like it when the squires and soldiers participate in leisure activities. He believes that they should spend their spare time training."

"That's not spare time," the princess argued. "It's… cruel! To force _anyone_ to spend their time training is harsh, but _children…_?"

"I would have to agree, Princess," Athi said with a sigh. "He tends to be a bit more lenient on soldiers and knights, but it seems that Link hasn't yet escaped his grip. I saw the boy training just yesterday. Was there from dawn to dusk, from what I've gathered."

The princess frowned. "That doesn't sound healthy. He was injured in Gerudo Desert… that's why I ordered him to rest."

Athi frowned. That was just like him. "He probably feels bored. That boy is of the sort that needs to be _doing_ something, whether it's good for his health or not. He most likely feels the need to be useful… that, and Captain Arduum could be..." Athi shook her head. "Ah, ignore my musings, Princess. Finish your meal and get some well deserved rest, alright?"

The princess nodded slowly, hesitantly. "Yes, Ma'am."

"'Ma'am?'" Athi chuckled. "Call me Athi, Your Highness."

"Athi," the princess echoed. "Well, thank you for your insight, Athi."

* * *

 **Sorry this chapter is shorter than usual - if I recall right, I really struggled with this one. It barely reaches six pages in its original font, when my average is seven... but oh well. Better something than nothing, right?**

 **Next week, I will NOT be updating. Tomorrow I will be leaving for a camping trip that lasts until Saturday, so the only day I'll have to write this week is today. I mean, I _could_ write a whole chapter today, but that would probably damage my mental health. I need to chill before spending the week in a frame tent in the wilderness, constantly hiding my food from the grasp of the evil chipmunks. Yay, camping!**

 **SO... yeah. Moving along, the BoTW sequel! Ho boi. I don't think I'll be able to wait very long for it. All aboard the hype train!**

 **Probably quite a few errors in this chapter, but I'll probably come back and look through later. If you catch any, please do tell me! It would make fixing stuff a lot easier. ._.**

 **Thank you for all of your support! It's MAJOR motivation for me, and I'm very thankful to you all for that.**

 **Sincerely (probably),**

 **Ari~**


	25. Chapter 24: I Will Not Fail

**Sorry guest reviewers - I will reply to your reviews later, but I'm on a tight schedule right now. Read the author's note for more details.**

 _ **Chapter 24: I will not fail**_

Link leaned back on the bench in the courtyard, relishing the breeze and the fresh air. However, he had come for other things.

 _Calamity Ganon, Calamity Ganon, Calamity Ganon…_ he thought as he scanned the table of contents of the thick tome in his lap.

"Ah ha," he whispered triumphantly as he found it. _Page 87 - Calamity Ganon._

He thumbed through the pages until he reached the desired point in the book.

" _Calamity Ganon is a chaotic being, said to be the pure incarnation of Demise's malice (see page 12). It has appeared time and time again, always in a different form. Some say that it seeks revenge on the Spirit of the Hero (see page 27), due to the hero's vital part in sealing it away."_

 _Spirit of the Hero?_ Link thought. That sounded important… yet he hadn't read the term in any other book. _A lead?_ he thought excitedly.

Link began to flip the pages back, when suddenly, a familiar, foreboding voice interrupted.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Link drew in the deepest breath possible while remaining indiscrete. He steeled his gaze, and turned his head to the voice.

"I am reading, Sir," Link said blankly to Captain Arduum.

"I can see that," the captain said coldly. "Why are you doing that rather than train?"

Link held up the book, gesturing to the title. "I am researching the Calamity," he explained. It wasn't a _complete_ lie. "After all, knowing your enemy can lead to their downfall."

The captain scoffed, pulling the book from his grasp. "Legends and stories will do nothing to prepare you, _boy_." The captain waved the book in Link's face. "You will never find first hand accounts of the Calamity in nonsense books like _this_. First you nearly get the princess killed, and now _this_? There is nothing to prepare you besides training!"

And with that, the captain tore the book along its spine, slowly and painfully, each rip sending a pang of guilt through Link.

However, the knight showed nothing. The captain saw nothing but the cold and unfeeling exterior.

The captain tossed the book onto the ground, pages scattering. Link met his eyes as blankly as he could, struggling to maintain his emotionless mask. Yet, after years of molding and shaping, the mask would not fall apart so easily.

The captain grabbed Link's shoulders and shoved him to the ground head first, pushing the metal heel of his boot into Link's back. There was no point in fighting it, Link knew. If he tried to stop it, he would only find himself even more bloodied and bruised.

He heard the metal of the captain's armor clank as he leaned down to Link's ear, his heel remaining firm. "You're no scholar or a historian," the captain hissed. "You are a knight. A weapon. Nothing more, nothing less. Understood?"

Link knew that if he spoke, he would break down. He had to maintain his mask of composure at all costs.

So he grunted slightly, incapable of nodding.

"Speak to me, boy!" the captain growled, stabbing his heel into Link's back.

"Understood... Sir," Link breathed through the pain.

The captain raised his heel, leaving something warm and sticky behind on his back. He didn't dare move until ordered to do so, however - that would only cause more pain.

After a strong kick met his side, a large _crack_ ensuing, the captain seemed to be satisfied.

"Stand, Soldier!" the captain barked.

Link pushed himself to his feet, doing his best not to tremble. His side ached something awful, his back and his face not much better.

"Now look me in the eye," the captain ordered.

Link obliged, keeping his face clean of emotion. The captain was a tall man, easily a few feet taller than Link. His piercing eyes, one gray as stone and the other crimson as blood, stared, narrowed, at Link's own. _Heterochromia,_ Link recalled. _The trait of two differently colored eyes, normally created by a genetic mutation._

Link winced inwardly, though externally he remained blank as fresh parchment. _Stop pretending to sound like you're smart!_

The captain grabbed Link's shoulders, his mismatched eyes narrowed and piercing into his very soul. "You will not be found researching again, or so help me, we will have to find a new wielder for the Master Sword. Is that clear, _boy_?" Boy. _Of course. He has never addressed me by name - didn't he say that I was unworthy of such just the other day?_

"Very clear, Sir," Link droned.

The captain released his vice grip on Link's shoulders and turned away. "Good. Now get out of my sight, soldier."

"Yes, Sir," Link said blankly, dipping his head.

And so, ignoring the ache all over his body and the flare of pain that shot through his ribs, he forced his legs to carry him towards the training yard.

 _I will not fail. I will not fail. I will not fail._

* * *

"...perhaps if we rewire these areas here," Zelda continued, pointing to a wiring among the contraption scattered about the table. "

"Already tried that," Purah grumbled. "That area seems to have no difficulty - I've been troubleshooting it for weeks. The area I'm not so sure about is - hey!"

Zelda watched as a black ball of fluff seemed to suddenly materialize on the table, tiny paws playing with the wires.

"Kitten, I said _no_!" Purah groaned. She picked up the tiny creature and dropped it to the floor, where it proceeded to totter quickly towards a string that had fallen from the counters. "Stupid cat," she mumbled.

Zelda laughed. "Since when did you have a kitten, Purah?"

"Why does everyone assume it's _mine_?" Purah huffed dramatically, throwing her arms in the air for greater effect. "Do I _really_ seem that crazy? No! I don't think so!"

"Well…" Zelda said slowly, an amused smile remaining on her face. "Whose is it?"

"Purah says she can't tell," came a new voice, drawing Zelda's attention to the door of the lab, swinging closed behind Purah's apprentice, Liari. "Said it's a secret or whatever."

"The person I'm watching it for was busy," Purah said, sounding exasperated. "Though I suppose he's back now. I'll have to give it back."

"'He?'" both Liari and Zelda echoed at the same time.

"Yes, 'he,'" Purah mumbled, going back to her work. "Why? Were you convinced that Impa was secretly hiding kittens in her closet?"

Liari laughed heartily. "Impa _hates_ cats with a passion! Why would we think that?" After Liari regained control, she gave Purah a sort of teasing look. "Is he, like, your boyfriend or something?"

At that, Purah shot Liari a disgusted look. "Absolutely not! That boy is like a younger brother to me. I'm already married, anyway."

"Really?" Zelda asked curiously.

"Wait, what?"

Purah pulled her glasses down over her eyes. "Yes, I'm married…" Her arm shot into the air dramatically. "...to _science_!"

There was silence for a moment.

"Of course," Zelda laughed. It was so obvious. Purah wasn't one to settle down - she would be a scientist and a scholar forever.

Then Zelda heard something. It was akin to a shout or battle cry… but why…?

"Snap," Purah muttered, glancing at the window that was open a few feet away. "I left the window open again."

"What's out there?" Zelda asked inquisitively as Purah made her way to the window.

Purah glanced out the window. "One of the training grounds," she said plainly. "It's a weekend, so we usually don't have anyone out there. A certain appointed knight must be getting bored." Purah gave Zelda a pointed look.

"Sir Link?" Zelda questioned, confused.

Purah nodded.

Zelda frowned and walked to stand beside Purah at the window. Sure enough, there, training fiercely, was a sky-blue clothed Sir Link, swinging the Master Sword at an imaginary foe. "That's strange. He was injured in Gerudo Desert. It's only been a few days - it can't be healed by now."

Purah shrugged. "Why don't you try telling _him_ that?" Purah asked sarcastically.

Zelda turned towards the door. "I think I will," she said, seeming to shock Purah into silence.

By the time Purah had regained her ability to speak, Zelda was long gone.

Purah looked at Liari, who seemed just as confused. "Didn't she hate Link's guts a few weeks ago?" Purah asked.

Liari nodded, but a small smile crept onto her features. "It looks like that's going to change, doesn't it?"

* * *

 **Sorry the chapter is shorter - it was longer before, but I cut it off for the sake of lengthening the next chapter. HOPEFULLY it'll be longer next week.**

 **I'm a bit behind schedule, DESPITE it taking two weeks for this chapter to come out. I was taken on a surprise trip last week, which may or may not have sucked. But I'm back now, and I hate traveling more than ever! Yay... SO ANYWAY, if I delay updating next week, a surprise trip that I'm taken on against my will is most likely going to be the cause. You'd think I'd have MORE freetime now that it's summer...**

 **This chapter is a bit rough - I didn't do a ton of revising over the last couple of weeks, so it's still in earlier stages of development. Hopefully I'll be able to come back and fix it up later, but that's only if I can manage to finish next chapter and write another in the next two days. Woo... SO, if you see any problems or have any suggestions, it would be absolutely WONDERFUL if you could put 'em in a review/pm!**

 **Thank you for all of your support, y'all!**

 **Sincerely (or maybe that's just the exhaustion talking),**

 **Ari**


	26. Chapter 25: Meetings and Mishaps

**notaname: Thank you for your patience! The suspense is killing you? Oh well. Good thing killing never killed anyone! ...Wait...**

 _ **Chapter 25: Meetings and Mishaps**_

When Zelda reached the training field, it seemed nothing had changed, despite the long walk to reach it. The hero was training just as fiercely, currently wreaking havoc on what remained of a training dummy.

"Sir Link?"

She quickly found herself stumbling backwards, a blade pointed towards her. Her eyes grew wide.

There he was, Sir Link's eyes wild and wolf-like, narrowed at her. But the expression did not last, quickly becoming the normal neutral as he lowered his sword and bowed his head.

"My apologies, Princess," he said quietly. "You startled me."

"Raise your head, Sir Link," Zelda ordered. "I would like to speak eye to eye."

For reasons unknown to her, the knight hesitated. _What would cause him to do so?_ He had looked her in the eye plenty of times. What made this time any different?

It was when he raised his head that she realized why.

Bruises marred his normally clear face. All were fresh, only just beginning to show.

"Hylia," she breathed. "What happened to you?"

"It's nothing, Your Highness," the knight said, bowing his head low, hiding his face from view once more. "You needn't worry about me."

"But I should," Zelda insisted. "You are my knight. Despite my… _mistreatment_ of you before, I have all the reason to worry for your well-being. That is the whole reason you've had time off. Can you, at the very least, tell me what happened to you?"

"I'm afraid that would be impossible, Princess," the knight said, shaking his head. "You have nothing to worry about."

Zelda sighed. "Come with me, then. You need to be healed. After that, you must answer all of my questions honestly."

There was a hesitant sort of silence that came from the knight, but he eventually nodded.

"As you wish, Your Highness," he said simply, as solemn as a man marching to his grave.

* * *

Link drew in as deep a breath as he could without drawing the princess's attention to him. He forced himself to ignore the pain that flared through his ribs with each rise and fall of his chest, instead remaining as blank and calm as he could.

 _Must've cracked them,_ he guessed, wincing inwardly. He prayed to Hylia that he would be able to keep up his act. _I have to remain silent. I have to remain strong._

If only he wasn't so foolish! If he hadn't let the captain's words get to him, he would've gone back to his room in the barracks and cleaned himself up, expertly hiding his injuries, like he _always_ did. But he got too _angry_. The rationality of his thinking had gone down the drain, and he had found himself trudging towards the training yard instead.

 _I'm such a fool!_ Fool… he seemed to be using that word to describe himself a lot lately. _Maybe if I didn't keep doing foolish things, I wouldn't be using it._ But it was getting awfully repetitive. He needed some different words. _Idiot, maybe? I suppose I've been pretty idiotic. Moron works, too._

Why in Hylia's name was he chosen to wield the Master Sword? He was _stupid_! Maybe if he followed orders like he was supposed to, it would be fine. He never would've been injured in the first place. _Why did I think it was a good idea to research anything? I'm just a weapon._

Weapon. That was all he really was. He was supposed to be silent and cold as steel! He was supposed to be a merciless tool for killing! He had been trained from a young age in the way of combat. It was the only thing he was good for. Why had he thought any different? What was he doing when he snuck away to the kitchen late at night? What was he really doing when he turned to books for answers?

 _I'm in denial,_ he realized. _Though I know I'm nothing but a soldier, no more than a killer, my subconscious doesn't want to admit it. So I've been making up excuses._

" _Excuses get you nowhere!"_ the captain had scolded him years before. " _The fact of the matter is that you still snuck down here. Cooking is for the servants. As a squire, your only task is to train! That's all I've asked of you, and you_ failed _!"_

Link breathed in deeply, his side sending waves of fire through him. _I'm a disobedient, useless soldier who has never done anything useful in my whole life._

 _But you saved the princess,_ something in him whispered. _That has to count for something, right?_

He quickly squashed down that thought and realized he had stopped moving. He quickly jumped back into motion and caught up to the princess, who had made it halfway down the hallway without him.

The only reason the princess's life had been in danger in the first place was because _he_ wasn't doing his job. He had let down his guard… he had almost been too late.

He was worthless.

" _I have calculated that there is a 96 percent chance that this line of thinking could prove to be destructive towards your mental health,"_ Fi said.

 _It doesn't matter,_ Link replied, holding his head high as he followed the princess, ignoring the stares he received. He didn't need a mirror to tell that he looked like crap. _My own well-being is irrelevant. If there's a choice is between my health and success in the battle against the Calamity, I will gladly sacrifice it._ He carefully blocked Fi from the last thought: _I deserve it._

An emotion that was not his own brushed the back of his mind, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come.

" _If you deem it necessary, Master Link,"_ Fi replied emotionlessly. " _My suggestions are merely that. I am here to guide, not to make decisions for you."_

 _I-_

"Sir Link," came a voice up ahead, pulling him out of his stupor. "Are you alright? You stopped walking…"

Link blinked, noticing that the princess had, once again, gotten halfway down the hallway without him. He had stopped again, and this time she had noticed.

"My apologies, Your Highness," he said quietly, keeping his voice emotionless. "I was merely distracted."

The princess gave him a suspicious look, but turned anyway and continued down the corridor, Link jogging to catch up behind her.

* * *

Liari yawned as she made her way out of the lab. After the princess had left in a hurry, Purah had decided against continuing research, instead opting to take a break for the rest of the day.

Liari stretched her arms, relieved as the stiff joints popped. She was starting to have second thoughts about being Purah's apprentice. Sheikah technology, though interesting to her, was complicated - so much so that she barely managed to grasp the concepts Purah drowned her in. But it wasn't like there was any other occupation for her to consider - she was no Sheikah warrior, so Sheikah scholar/scientist it was.

 _If only I could be something_ else. But nothing in life was that simple. As a Sheikah, especially as an apprentice of Impa, she had to go into a "noble" Sheikah occupation. She had other options, of course, but none she was particularly fond of. Besides… she could help Link this way.

Liari wondered if this was how Link felt when the sword chose him - or even before that, when he had been forced into swordsmanship. He had never been fond of shedding blood, but it seemed that his fate had other plans. Unlike herself, her friend, practically her brother, had no choice in the matter - it was fight or die.

Liari felt a bit guilty. While she grumbled, groaned, and complained about what she should do with her life, Link had been forced into a destiny that didn't match his personality. He wasn't a weapon!

That phrase… she recalled using it once, years before. Link had announced his desire to become a squire at the castle and, later that night, she had confronted him. She could remember his voice like it was yesterday.

" _Why are you so against this? Everyone will be... safer this way."_

" _I don't want you to leave me alone here! That, and… you're not a weapon. Fighting isn't who you are!"_

Liari sighed. If Link had never become a squire, he would never even _seen_ the Master Sword. Instead, the sword would've chosen another that was more _suitable_ for the task. Her dear friend would've never put up his walls again. Those thick, impenetrable, _miserable_ walls.

That sword. Liari's fists clenched against her will. That _stupid_ sword! The one whose voice she had heard, as emotionless as Link's mask. If that sword had chosen someone else - anyone else, really - it would all be better! She would have her fun-loving brother in all but blood, rather than the stoic knight that had replaced him. If only...

"Excuse me, but are you Mistress Liari?"

Liari jumped with a small cry of surprise, quickly turning towards the voice.

There stood a Sheikah, though he was not familiar to her. His way of dress made her assume him to be one of the Royal scholars, what with his dark blue robes that hung over his shoulders, trimmed in silver. Something in his crimson eyes was a bit unsettling, but the softness of his facial features contrasted it.

"My apologies," he chuckled smoothly. "I didn't mean to startle you. You are Mistress Liari, yes?"

"I-uh…" Liari cleared her throat. "Yes, I am. And you would be...?"

"I am Vald," the Sheikah said with a polite bow. "I am a scholar researching Hyrulean architecture." He stood back up and offered his hand.

Liari shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Vald," she said. "What is it you were seeking me out for?"

"I wanted to meet Dame Impa's famed apprentice, of course!" Vald replied excitedly. "I'm told you are quite rebellious, and that impresses me. Who dares skip lessons from Dame Impa?"

Liari blushed, embarrassed that she was known for _that_ in particular. "I'm not really her apprentice anymore," she explained slowly." I've been spending too much time in the lab with Mistress Purah."

"Ah," Vald said, nodding. "So you are going into ancient technology?"

Liari nodded. "It seems that way. No other subjects have interested me as much." That, of course, was not the whole truth.

"Ah," Vald said, nodding. "I understand. I couldn't imagine researching anything other than architecture. You must have a great passion for the ancient science!"

"Uh… I guess you could say that," Liari lied once again. _It's where I'll be the most helpful,_ she told herself. And, despite her confusion regarding ancient technology, it certainly was an interesting topic. One that she would, eventually, manage to understand.

"Well, Mistress Liari," Vald said, straightening up and folding his hands behind his back. "I expect you have things to do. Perhaps we could do a knowledge trade? I could tell you about a Zonai ruin I found, in exchange for some inside information on ancient technology?"

"I don't see why not," Liari replied a bit awkwardly. She had never been good at this formal speaking thing.

"Then fare thee well! Till we meet again," Vald said eloquently, dipping his head in a traditional Sheikah parting. "I look forward to speaking with you again!"

Liari repeated the gesture, bowing her own head before straightening. "And you as well."

And so they both continued on their way. But Liari couldn't help but notice the feeling of foreboding that rose within her.

* * *

 **I am REALLY sorry for all the delays I've had lately. Hopefully that will not happen again for awhile. I am currently almost a chapter ahead of schedule in writing, SO we shouldn't have to worry about it next week. You're welcome.**

 **You may have noticed the MANY changes to the cover of this story. If you haven't... it has changed at LEAST three times. This is because I have been doing a ton of art lately (totally not procrastinating on writing or anything). Because of this, I have like, fifty pictures for the cover (slight exaggeration, but whatever). And I keep drawing MORE. Hopefully I will be able to make up my mind soon? Hopefully?**

 **Apparently the week delay of a chapter was not necessary (don't kill me) because I was back on schedule by Tuesday. But I didn't want to mess up the update schedule, so... sorry. BUT, in that free time, I managed to plan a prequel for _Before_. The rough plot, anyway (which is absolutely AMAZING, because I'm a very spontaneous writer most of the time). So... yeah. It's basically (without spoiling for _Before_ ) about Link's backstory, but I don't think ANY of it will be from his point of view. That's all I'll say for now. I'll probably do some more detailed planning before I begin writing it.**

 **Once again, thank you for all of the reviewers! Believe it or not, the rewrite has nearly the same amount of reviews as the original (having 150 while the old had 152), but get this - it is eleven chapters SHORTER so far! That's amazing! I'd also like to thank all of my silent supporters out there (I think only ten or eleven people total have reviewed, and there are 78 people following) who've stuck with me since the beginning of this wild ride. If you've only recently joined the world of _Before_ , then I will welcome you to this chaos with open arms! I hope you enjoy the story!**

 **And that's all, I guess. I'm sorry if I haven't replied to your review - if I failed to do so, I will blame my tendency to be scatterbrained. I will do my best to reply to all reviews from now on!**

 **Sincerely (PeRhApS),**

 **Ari~**


	27. Chapter 26: Constellations

**Guest : Yeah, pretty much! Kind of funny, when you put it like that though - a prequel to a story called "Before." XD**

 _ **Chapter 26:**_ ** _Constellations_**

The room was quiet and darkening, the only light being the last rays of sun filtering through the window at the end. Unlike the Royal infirmary, which was a private room with a large, ridiculously comfortable feather bed in the middle, this infirmary had snowy white, very uncomfortable looking cots lining the walls. This made sense to Zelda, unfortunate as it was. After all, royalty always got the special treatment, whether she liked it or not.

Sitting on one of the cots near the end was Sir Link, a healer standing in front of him and speaking very firmly.

"...what with your ribs being cracked, I forbid you from participating in any strenuous activity until further notice. Understood?"

Sir Link merely nodded.

 _Cracked ribs?_ His wounds were worse than Zelda had thought - all she'd seen was bruises, barely old enough to show. They were recent.

So that begged the question… why was he training with such fresh injuries? Or better yet, why was he training on his _break_?

The healer nodded to the Hylian Champion before making his way towards his office, dipping his head to the princess on the way.

Zelda approached Sir Link with her hands on her hips. "Well?" she asked.

The knight blinked at her.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Where did your injuries come from?"

Her knight averted his eyes, remaining silent.

Zelda huffed. "Unless you are forbidden to speak by my father himself, you are completely capable of telling me what is going on here." After realizing her tone of voice, Zelda's eyes softened, and she continued far more gently. "You can tell me. Maybe I can help?"

"It was…" he paused. "A training accident."

 _Training accident._ Zelda resisted the urge to scoff out loud. No training accident would cause bruises that size and cracked _ribs,_ for goodness's sake. Those injuries were obviously given to him by another. But… clearly he did not trust her enough to tell the truth.

Zelda felt another surge of guilt. _If only I had been kinder to him…_ maybe then he would be willing to answer her truthfully. But that was in the past - all she could do right now was be kinder and hope for the best.

"What say you to going down to the kitchens?" Zelda suggested. "I missed dinner because I was in the labs, and you must have missed it as well, what with the... _training_ and all." Was that rambling? She hoped not - that would seem very impolite.

An emotion flashed through the knight's face, gone before she could even guess what it was. "I am not very hungry, Your Highness," he said.

She knew he was lying, however, when his stomach growled furiously.

"Not very hungry, you say?" Zelda asked, smiling. "Your stomach seems to disagree."

"I'm fine, Princess," the knight replied, just as his stomach rumbled once again.

"Nonsense," Zelda scoffed. "You are clearly hungry. You will join me for dinner, and that is _not_ a request."

The knight stood and bowed his head. "As you wish, Princess."

 _As you wish._ That wasn't the first time he had said that. It seemed that was what he said when she asked something of him - something he didn't _want_ to do.

 _I'm going to figure you out,_ Zelda thought as she led the knight out of the infirmary. _You can count on that._

* * *

The kitchen was just ahead, he knew. He could smell the leftovers from where they were, a whole corridor away from the darned place, rich with the aroma of spices.

He wasn't hungry, he told himself. But as his stomach betrayed him, grumbling with displeasure yet again, he knew he was lying. He was hungry… but he hadn't had much of an appetite in weeks. The few meals he had tried to shove down tended to come back up a couple hours later, so he had decided to eat the bare minimum. Nothing more.

It was certainly unfortunate that something, once one of the few pleasures he had, had decided to ruin itself for him.

"We're here," the princess announced from up ahead, turning back to him. Link nodded, ensuring that she knew he had heard her.

The kitchen had always been a sort of safe haven for Link, as he recalled when they entered. The stone walls were always less confining than the other places in the castle, lit by cheery and welcoming firelight.

But this time, there was a tension in the air, like a cat about to pounce. The princess wanted answers - that much he could tell - and she was too stubborn to let him go without them.

As the princess asked the cooks that lingered for leftovers, Link found himself forming a battle plan.

The princess wanted to know how he was injured. She clearly didn't believe it being training accident - her expression had twisted into that of disbelief, and, if he saw right, she had held herself back from scoffing. He wasn't fond of lying… but if he didn't want to get in more trouble in the Captain than he already was, it would be necessary. _I can't disappoint him further._

 _Maybe I was training in calvary combat?_ Yes, that made sense. He tumbled off his horse and found himself on the ground, cracked ribs and bruises. It was an incredibly unlikely scenario (Epona was too smart and bold, and he'd had too many years of mistakes and training drilled into his mind for that to happen), but it was believable enough to those who didn't know him well.

He hadn't realized that the princess had led him to a counter and some stools until she ordered him to sit down. Mindlessly, he did as he was told.

"One of the servants will bring us food momentarily," the princess explained, hands folded neatly in her lap. She was far more casual when out, away from the castle, he had noticed. Not vocally, of course (except maybe when she was yelling at him), but in posture. "...In the meantime, I would like to ask a few things about you. Would that be alright with you?"

Link blinked at the princess, not quite sure what he was hearing. Yes, the princess had been kinder to him recently (Hylia knew why), but didn't she _hate_ him? A _lot_? Yet here she was, asking his _consent_ to ask questions (possibly intruding ones) about himself?

Link nodded. After all, despite the softness of the princess's voice, she was just that - a princess. He couldn't deny her, no matter how nice she was being. He knew quite well what she was about to ask, and braced himself. He had always been a bad liar, so he had to be prepared.

"What is... your favorite color?" the princess blurted out.

Once again, he was completely flabbergasted. Even the princess herself looked a bit surprised and confused at the question that left her lips.

The awkward silence that followed was almost amusing. So, when all of the tension became too much, Link found himself losing control, the protests his brain screeched out not reaching him.

He was _laughing._

Meanwhile, Zelda gaped at the normally emotionless knight, feeling color rise in her cheeks. She was embarrassed - that question had been so very uncalled for, so very sudden, and not what she had wanted to ask at all.

But, as she looked at the stoic knight, who laughed and smiled because of the absurdity of it all… perhaps it was worth it.

And then it dawned on her. She had never seen him smile. The way it transformed his impassive features was incredible. The way he laughed made him appear so much younger than she had pegged him to be, and so much more… free?

His laughter did not last long, however, stopping suddenly as his face contorted, reverting back to blankness as he bowed his head.

 _Why?_ Zelda thought, exasperated.

It was only when the knight looked up at her, questioning, that she realized she had voiced that out loud.

"Why," she repeated quietly, "won't you just _speak_ to me? Why won't you show me any emotion? Is it… is it my fault?" she asked hesitantly.

The knight looked away, seeming hesitant to speak.

"You don't have to answer," Zelda sighed, tapping her fingers against the counter. "I understand. It's a personal question, and I'm being nosy."

Silence returned, as tense as before.

And then, completely catching her by surprise, he spoke.

"...The people... they need a hero," he said in that deep, quiet, _soothing_ voice of his. "They want someone stoic and strong. Ensuring their faith is my duty to the kingdom. I will not fail."

And with that, he returned to silence.

Zelda could only stare incredulously. Here he was, the seemingly perfect hero that everyone praised and worshipped, that had taken it upon himself to instill the hope of an entire kingdom… and she had scolded him for doing so. _Oh Hylia, I'm an idiot._

"That must be difficult," Zelda found herself whispering out loud, barely loud enough to be heard. Her knight was not given any chance to reply (not that he would've), as it was then that the servant arrived with two plates of food.

"Enjoy the meal, Your Highness, Master Link" the girl said, placing the wonderful smelling meal in front of them.

"Send my regards to the cooks," Zelda said to the girl, smiling. "I can tell already that it will be delicious."

The girl bowed and retreated away.

Zelda turned back to the plate. A prime meat curry, she believed. A juicy slab of meat was on the plate, snowy white rice residing beside it. She took a bite, and was immediately overwhelmed by an explosion of flavor.

It was _delicious._

"What kind of spice did they use?" she asked aloud.

"Tastes like a Zoran spice," replied her knight from beside her, jerking her attention to him. His plate was already half empty.

 _How could he have known that?_ Zelda wondered. If that old cook from a week or so before was telling the truth, Sir Link was quite the culinary expert.

"Interesting," Zelda said. "I don't believe they've used any Zora spices before, at least not in anything I've had."

"It's a bit more uncommon," her knight said absently, stirring the spice a bit better into his rice. Zelda decided to do the same. "It's difficult to acquire the plants used to make it."

"Really?" Zelda asked, trying to sound disinterested when, in reality, anticipation was rising within her. This was the first _real_ conversation she'd ever had with her knight. "How so?"

"The main plant used in it is very rare," Sir Link replied. "It grows in very specific conditions and, unfortunately, is a favorite among the wildlife." Though she could've imagined it, she thought she heard more interest in his voice, strangled though it was.

"Has anyone tried to grow it domestically?" Zelda asked before forking more of her meal into her mouth, tilting her head at him.

Sir Link nodded, finally making eye contact. Something glimmered in his cerulean irises, and Zelda thought she saw a slight tug at the corner of his mouth."It is still quite difficult - they rarely manage to survive, being a fragile plant. But when they do, there are plentiful results."

"You clearly know your spices," Zelda said. She glanced at his plate. It was empty. "You're already done?"

Slight color came to her knight's cheeks. "I suppose I was hungrier than I thought," he admitted.

Zelda shook her head with a sigh, but her smile didn't leave her face. There was so much more to her knight than she had first thought - he was as complicated as the constellations in the night sky, most of the stars hidden by dark clouds.

And now, it seemed, the clouds had begun to move.

* * *

 **I didn't mention this last week, because I didn't think that it would effect my writing, but I had a surgery on Wednesday. It wasn't a very serious one - I only had my tonsils removed - BUT I didn't realize how loopy the pain medications would make me. Because of these medications (and being incapable of eating very much real food), my brain has not been functioning to its greatest potential. Next chapter may be delayed because of this (though I can't exactly be sure of it yet). The most important thing at the moment is that I have probably missed a few very obvious mistakes in this chapter. If you can, it would be WONDERFUL if you could point out anything you notice. I will come back to this chapter later to fix it more, of course, but another set of eyes is always helpful!**

 **FINALLY, this scene is done! It took a lot of work for me to decide how to do this scene (last chapter was totally stalling, and I am not ashamed to admit that), and, though it certainly has its issues, I think I like how it turned out! Once again, I am a bit loopy right now, so my opinion doesn't mean much right now, BUT WHATEVER.**

 **Thank you, reviewers! If I failed to reply... I am very sorry! I will do my best to reply to your review next time! Hopefully I won't be so close to insanity then, and will be able to reply like a normal human being. I make no promises, though. XD**

 **Sincerely (Is that a squirrel?!),**

 **Ari~**


	28. Chapter 27: The Lycanthryn Mystery

**notaname : I'm fine now, but those pain meds made me REALLY loopy. I'm kind of scared to read the replies I sent... and last chapter's Author's Note. O_O**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 27: The Lycanthryn Mystery**_

 _"Bit by bit, I've gotten Link to open up to me. It turns out he's quite the glutton - he can't resist a delicious meal!_

" _When I finally got around to asking why he's so quiet all the time, I could tell it was... difficult for him to say. But he did._

" _With so much at stake, and so many eyes upon him, he feels it necessary to stay strong and to silently bear any burden. A feeling I know all too well... For him, it has caused him to stop outwardly expressing his thoughts and feelings._

" _I always believed him to be simply a gifted person who had never faced a day of hardship. How wrong I was... Everyone has struggles that go unseen by the world... I was so absorbed with my own problems, I failed to see his._

" _I wish to talk with him more and to see what lies beneath those calm waters, to hear him speak freely and openly... And perhaps I, too, will be able to bare my soul to him and share the demons that have plagued me all these years."_

* * *

Zelda walked through the halls. It was early in the morning, the halls lit only by the rising sun, whose dim rays filtered through the large, stained glass windows. The only other people she had seen were the guards that lined the walls, watching dutifully and silently as always.

She wondered if she had ever passed her own knight before. He was just that, after all - a knight. He had even been a member of the Royal Guard before being promoted to her personal knight, which was no mean feat, considering his age.

Zelda shook off the thought as she turned a corner. She needed to focus. Before leaving her room, she had decided to take a longer route to the library. She wanted to see the hall of portraits, a place she hadn't been to in years. However, because she hadn't been there in years, she needed to concentrate on remembering how to get there.

After pausing at a place where the hallways split, she thought a moment. _I think it was left… or was it right?_

After glancing once more between the halls, she took a right. She recognized the hallway - she was going the right way, thank goodness. There was just a turn or so until she reached the right place.

Making the final turn, she was greeted by a long corridor with high, arching ceilings, lacking windows. Instead, it was lit by several large chandeliers that hung down from the ceiling, as well as the expensive wax candles that were propped by the paintings. Guards posted at various points along the hall stood stiff and emotionless, giving the corridor an air of elegance. It made even herself feel as if she was trespassing.

The paintings on the right were all large, their frames ornately decorated with gems and finely carved details. These were the paintings of previous rulers - Queen Zelda III, King Daphnes, and various others that she had long since memorized. She marveled at the first few of the royals, but then turned her attention to the left.

The paintings on the left were smaller, depicting nobles, war heroes, and the most memorable and dutiful knights. She had never paid them much mind before, but for some reason she found herself drawn to them this morning. No name plates lined any of the paintings, leaving these grumpy old women and stiff knights' names lost to time.

For awhile she was content with simply walking past, sparing nothing more than a glance for each portrait. But then one in particular caught her eye.

This painting showed a man - a knight of the Royal Guard, as his uniform ranked him as. But that was not what was shocking.

 _It looks just like_ Link _,_ she realized. Dark golden locks framed the man's face, messy bangs tumbling from the hat… it all matched up.

Nonetheless, this knight was clearly older. His facial features, though the same as her knight's at first glance, were sharper and more matured. A slight stubble decorated his chin. Not only that, but his eyes were a warm forest green - not the cold, piercing blue of her knight's gaze.

Zelda turned to the guard that stood stoically a few feet away. Perhaps he would have answers? She knew it was part of a guard's training to memorize many of the knights and heroes. Their stories were often used to strike courage and inspiration into the hearts of their soldiers.

"Excuse me, Sir?" Zelda asked, using her sweetest voice.

The guard turned his head towards her. "Yes, Your Highness?" he asked emotionlessly.

"I find that I am having difficulty in identifying the knight in this portrait," Zelda said, gesturing to the painting. "Would you happen to know who this is?"

The guard stepped toward her, his armor clanking. It was only a moment, one short glance at the painting, before he nodded with familiarity. "Yes, I know who this is," he said. "His _first_ name escapes me right now… but this is Sir Lycanthryn."

"Lycanthryn?" Zelda echoed. The name sounded familiar.

The guard nodded again. "A legendary knight in the Royal Guard, he was. But he's better known for the Lycanthryn Mystery."

That _definitely_ sounded familiar. "It rings a bell, but I find that I don't recall that story," Zelda admitted.

The guard scrunched up his face out of distaste. "It is... not a happy tale, Princess. As violent as they come, you see. I don't feel it is my place to tell you."

"Not all the details," Zelda assured him. "Just the basics. That might jog my memory."

The guard gave her a hesitant look, but gave in, sighing. "It was a while back - before I had completed my own training, actually. Sir Lycanthryn had only recently retired to Hateno. After the townsfolk hadn't heard from him or his family for a week or so, someone went up to investigate."

The guard's face twisted into a grimace. "He was found a few days dead, split open from shoulder to hip, the symbol of the Yiga painted on the floor in his own blood."

Zelda shivered as the gruesome image shaped itself in her mind. But instead of the older man in the painting… she saw Link. The mere thought struck fear into her soul.

"What could have happened?" she found herself asking. "Surely the Yiga killed him for a reason."

The guard shook his head, looking back to the painting. "I think that he was murdered as an act of revenge. He apprehended many a Yiga in his time - led many attacks on them, all of which were successful... they certainly weren't fond of him."

"That's horrible," Zelda murmured. Such a violent death…

The guard nodded. "Anything else, Your Highness?"

"No, thank you," Zelda said, waving the guard off. With a bow, he clanked his way back to his post.

Zelda continued down the hall, deep in thought. A tragic story indeed… but for Sir Lycanthryn to be of such likeness to Link… could her knight possibly be… related?

Zelda shook off the thought. It was merely a coincidence. She didn't even know if this Sir Lycanthryn had any family, nor how long ago it was that he died. Sir Link's surname was definitely _not_ Lycanthryn… was it?

She suddenly found herself struggling to remember her knight's last name. Was it... Equador? No, that wasn't it. Equiter? That was closer, but that wasn't quite right. Equi… Equitem! That was it. Yes, her knight was Sir Link _Equitem_. Not Lycanthryn.

And so the princess continued toward the library, pushing the remnants of the thought from her mind.

* * *

" _I've decided to write a bit more honestly. If it's information that's dangerous… I guess I'll just have to burn it. It's not just Impa that insists now - Fi's gotten in on it, too. If I lie to her, she knows instantly. I suppose that's what happens when you're sharing a headspace._

" _The last few weeks, I have been forced to shirk my duty. First, it was because the princess made me. It's not as if I've ever done anything helpful for her, anyway. Everything I've done up until now has been pointless. She was almost killed because of me, for Hylia's sake! But now… the captain caught me researching the Calamity. I was punished, of course - rightly so. I'm a fool for thinking I could do anything more than kill. The only way to prepare myself for the darkness to come is to train. I must hone my skills, or I will be no match for what is to come._

" _However… instead of masking the marks of my punishment, I grew frustrated. I went to the training yard, despite the pure foolery of it all. The princess found me, demanding an explanation for my injuries. I couldn't tell her it was the captain - she wouldn't have understood that it was necessary. It was essential to open my eyes to my denial - I've denied my duty. I still snuck away to the kitchens, despite my punishment for doing so years ago. I still researched, thinking, like an idiot, that I could find answers._

" _I'm not a scholar, and I'm not a cook or a servant. I'm a weapon. That's all I am, and all I'll ever be."_

The quill's tip snapped on the parchment. "This will have to be burned," he said softly.

" _Why do you insist on doing so?"_ Fi asked. " _It is not as if anyone will invade your privacy."_

Link shook his head. "It's too risky," he explained quietly. "There have been too many instances when information is left carelessly lying around and it ends up in the wrong hands."

" _If you say so, Master Link,"_ Fi replied as Link started the fire in his small fireplace, tossing wood into the pile. His room may have been small, but the fireplace was a luxury some soldiers didn't have, and he was grateful to have it.

He was blessed, he realized. Many would kill for the honor of wielding the Sword that Seals the Darkness. So… why didn't he see it the same way? Why didn't the goddesses choose someone more willing?

" _One reason you were chosen was due of your lack of ambition. Your selfless nature ensures that you would do whatever is necessary to save Hyrule."_

"So long as it's killing something, we're fine," Link huffed. "I'm useless otherwise."

" _You are not useless, Master Link."_

"No," he agreed. "I kill things." He had never been fond of doing so… but it was necessary. It was all he was good for.

" _You are much more than a weapon,"_ Fi stated. " _You are more than even I understand."_

 _Sure,_ Link thought as he watched the fire grow, adding more firewood. He had become efficient at starting fires when he was young. His mother had taught him. Back then, it has been necessary to move quickly. One step behind... and they would be dead.

He shook off the memories. Those were dark times. Dark times he did not wish to recall right now. Yes, he was indeed blessed. He no longer had to live in terror. _They_ had no power over him anymore. Not here. They wouldn't dare go near the castle.

" _Did you ever discover_ why _they sought after you?"_ Fi asked.

Link shook his head. "No," he replied firmly. "And I'm not sure I want to. There are some things that you aren't meant to know, no matter how much you want to."

He chased away the memories that crept up against his will. Perhaps, one day, he would write them down and watch them burn. But for now, despite the time that had passed, he wasn't ready to let go. He was foolish like that - idiotic to hold onto the past. But there was nothing he could do about it now.

Deciding that the fire had grown to a decent enough size, Link went back to his small desk. He gently brushed the corner of the page, overlooking it momentarily.

His bad decisions were in the past. He would make sure he didn't make the same mistakes again.

He blew on the ink, making sure it was all completely dry. After that, he tore the page from the bindings of his journal.

He crumpled up the page, ignoring the way his heart sank at the thought that this page could have been. A tree had been cut down, and had gone through the rigorous process of being turned into parchment, only to be wasted. Someone better, more skilled than himself, could have used this page to create art. They could have drawn up something beautiful! They could have written and recorded observations that change the world and cure the deadliest diseases! They could have written a story that touched the hearts of many!

But instead, here it was. Crumpled in his hand, covered in his moping, self-hating thoughts. It could have been so much more, but instead, he had ruined it.

Link tossed the paper into the flames, where it immediately began to writhe and tangle itself within the angry and fiery wisps.

He watched, his eyes watery and stinging. It was painful, yes, but he couldn't - no, he _wouldn't_ look away. He watched it as the flames grew, the parchment glowing with bright gold and red tendrils before the corners began to blacken and shrivel.

It wasn't long before it was gone, reduced to nothing but ashes.

* * *

 **Well, Link... just embrace the pyromania. For me, why don't ya.**

 **Heyo! It's been awhile, but I swear I'm not dead. This week I have a family reunion though, and with that, combined with some writer's block, and slowly becoming obsessed with drawing (I got a new toy - send help DX) and manga, I might not be able to update next week.**

 **I've kind of been falling into an "Every other week" schedule. But I've also noticed that, with more time to look over writing and such, the quality of the chapters has slowly been going up. This particular chapter is a page over average (8 pages in Google Docs, font size 12 and double spaced), and the next one is TWO pages over average (which is really impressive, because there are no big scene shifts - when it does change, they actually walk, and it flows pretty darn well. That's very difficult for me to do, as I'm pretty sure I'm slightly A.D.D., so the fact that I managed a whole chapter, let alone two pages over average, is a bit incredible for me). So... look forward to that!**

 **THANK YOU REVIEWERS! We had a total of NINE reviews last chapter (not that I'm keeping track or anything... but I am XD), and that, compared to the one or two that I used to get per chapter, is pretty darn amazing. You guys are so nice (too nice - I'd like some real criticism! XD) and supportive, and that's wonderful! Y'all are great! ("Y'all?" Did I _seriously_ just say/write "Y'all?")**

 **Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! :D**

 **Sincerely (SQUIRREL!),**

 **Ari~**


	29. Chapter 28: The Beast of the Laboratory

**_notaname_ : yee**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 28: The Beast of the Laboratory**_

"You're still healing - your ribs could definitely be in better shape, but… I suppose you'll be fine. You can go back to your duties."

Link nodded to the healer. He had tried to escape the watch of the healers, but because the princess had insisted he be healed back then, the medical personnel of the castle had kept him under their radar.

 _Finally_ , he was free. He could be useful. Or, at least as useful as a bodyguard could be in a high security castle.

So off he went, as far away from the infirmary as possible.

It was still early in the morning - the sun had barely risen. Those healers and their insane schedules… though he suspected that the healers dragged him to the infirmary so early just to make sure he didn't run off on them.

Because of the earliness of the day, that meant that breakfast was still being prepared, meaning the princess was still in her room. He would be able to switch with the guard, and all would finally go back to normal.

 _Except this time, I'll be better,_ Link told himself. _I won't make the same mistakes again._ He would take his duties more seriously now. No more slip ups.

Link resisted the urge to yawn and rub his eyes. Yes, he was tired, but he had spent too much time doing nothing. Besides… he wouldn't be getting much sleep anyways. He was weak to allow things as small as bad dreams to keep him from sleeping, but it was the way things were, and he was gradually starting to accept that. At least sleep (well, the lack thereof) did not keep him from doing his job.

It wasn't long before he reached the entrance to the princess's quarters. He nodded to the guard on duty, signaling, and they exchanged places in practiced silence. It was important to be silent when on duty unless spoken to. Guards could be intimidating to the residents, so it was best that they were quiet - that way, there was always less attention paid to them.

Link took up the post expertly, standing stiffly before the door. If he was being entirely honest, he would have never been able to stand guard duty if it weren't for his training with Impa. Despite her being young when she had started training him (though she certainly had help from Dame Rala), she had done so expertly. Impa was certainly a force to be reckoned with - she had successfully completed her warrior training by age fifteen.

She definitely hadn't gone easy on him, as he could recall. Sheikah training was… not for the faint hearted. He remembered with a shiver his first test - one he recalled regularly and vividly.

" _This is your first test,"_ the younger Impa had said sternly. " _Are you prepared?"_

The younger Link, so very enthusiastic and oblivious, had nodded eagerly.

" _Stand up straight,"_ Impa had ordered. The younger him obliged. " _You are not to move from this spot until I come back to get you. If you slouch, you fail. If you shuffle your feet, you fail. If you leave before I come back to get you, you fail. Understood?"_

She left him there at noon. She didn't return until the sun had risen the next day. And at midnight… it had begun to rain.

But he stayed there, cold and shivering. He had become grievously ill because of it, spending the next week sniffling and shivering, with a fever as fiery as Death Mountain. Because of that, however, he had definitely gotten bonus points.

At least he was good at one thing - standing in one place and doing nothing.

* * *

That morning, Zelda decided to rise early (it was long before breakfast), to visit Purah in the lab. She was often described as a morning person - she rose with the sun, sometimes before it, with as much energy as some would have after hours of wakefulness. So she got up, dressed, gathered some of her books, and made her way to the door.

The moment it opened properly, she nearly dropped her books.

There was Sir Link, who stepped stiffly to the side as she shuffled out of the doorway, blank as always and looking fine and healthy.

 _He's better already?_ He had to be - the healers wouldn't let him anywhere _near_ his job until he had been sufficiently healed.

Zelda smiled at him as kindly as she could. "Feeling better, Sir Link?" she asked.

Her knight nodded emotionlessly in response. She had to force her smile to stay on her face as, with a pang, she recalled how he had acted before her just a week or so earlier.

"Well," she said, "I am heading to Purah's lab before going to breakfast. I suppose you will be accompanying me?"

He nodded silently.

"Very well, then," Zelda said, clearing her throat. "Let's be off, then."

When she turned away and began walking away, her face hidden from the knight that trailed behind her, she allowed herself to frown.

That night a week prior… though not nearly as much as some people, he had been far more open and talkative. And it wasn't like he had been talking about anything too important - he had been talking about spices. _Spices!_ It was quite clear that he was fond of food, and experienced at preparing it, too. He not only _talked_ about spices - he _knew_ them.

He was smarter than she had once believed. She had once thought his silence to be because of a lack of intelligence… but now, after allowing herself to open her eyes and truly _see_ him, she could see that, even now, quiet intellect simmered behind his eyes.

There was so much she didn't know about him, she realized. He followed her and protected her daily (well, not so much in the last couple weeks) with the dedication of a loyal canine. He heard her constant ramblings to herself, might know her better than her own father, and yet… she didn't even know that much about him.

As she made her way to the lab, her silent guardian's presence reassuring her that she was completely safe, she reviewed everything she knew about him.

Before becoming her appointed knight, Sir Link had been a member of the Royal Guard. His rank within it, how long he'd been a member, and his relationship with the other royal guards was unknown to her.

He was a student of Lady Impa, and one of her favorites. Impa rarely favored anyone over another, so that was definitely something to his name. He wasn't even a Sheikah… which begged the question of how he came to be under Impa's mentorship. He could have Sheikah blood in him - it wasn't strange for someone to be half Sheikah or quarter Sheikah and still look Hylian. Rarer, yes, but not impossible.

None of that was particularly interesting to Zelda. It was all the "Typical of a hero" nonsense that had caused her to shun and verbally abuse him out of jealousy. No, she wasn't proud of that act of childish envy and resentment, but it was in the past now.

The most interesting thing she knew about him would have to be his hobby of cooking. As that cook, Athi, had told her… Link had risked getting in trouble with Captain Arduum just to spend a few hours cooking every night. And then there was...

" _They want someone stoic and strong. Ensuring their faith is my duty to the kingdom. I will not fail."_

She shook her head with a sigh, continuing down the halls. While she had moped about not finding her powers… while she had pranced about, researching and doing whatever she pleased… her knight had taken on the burden of having all eyes upon _him_. The people had long since accepted that their princess was failing at her duty, but Link… he had succeeded right away. Because of that, he was, as of then, the sole form of insurance that they would defeat the Calamity.

Yet another reason to unlock her powers soon.

/

It wasn't long before they reached Purah's lab. Zelda was a bit concerned, however - from inside, she could hear muffled enraged shouting.

Zelda glanced back at Link - er, _Sir_ Link, who stood stiffly behind her. She shot him a hesitant smile, before turning to the door.

"...GET AWAY FROM MY SUPPLIES, YOU VICIOUS BEAST!"

"I think that now may not be the best time to come in…" Zelda mused aloud as she watched Purah pluck the black poof from the table from the scruff.

The kitten did not take kindly to being treated so roughly, flailing its tiny paws in the air and growling in protest.

Purah only then noticed her guests. "Oh, hello, Zellie, Linky," she greeted. "This little - _monster_ ," she grunted as it flailed harder, "-has been causing me some issues." Purah dropped the flailing kitten onto the floor, where it quickly darted for the open door.

Zelda moved to close the door, but she stopped halfway into the action.

The kitten was twining itself around her knight's legs, purring in contentment as it brushed his boots. Then it parted, looking up at him with its big yellow eyes, and mewed feebly.

The scene was too cute not to smile at.

Giving into the little feline's plees, Sir Link bent down and gently brought it into his arms before standing again.

"It still favors you, eh?" Purah asked suddenly, causing Zelda to glance between the scientist and her knight in confusion.

Link glanced up at Purah. Zelda could be wrong… but she thought that his left eyebrow raised slightly.

Purah waved her hand, as if she were waving off her own question. "Eh, Not important. Just keep the beast occupied while I talk with Zelda - you're good at that sort of thing."

Link - _Sir_ Link - nodded before looking back down at the floof purring in his arms, gently brushing its fur with his fingers.

Seeing him like this reminded her, once again, that there was little she knew about him. The image of the Hylian Champion cradling a kitten in his arms was definitely not one she wanted to forget anytime soon.

She stared a moment, committing the scene to memory, before Purah dragged her towards her messy workspace excitedly.

"Come on, you _have_ to see what I found out!" Purah said eagerly. "I was up _all night_ putting it together!"

Zelda looked over the notes that Purah threw down in front of her. At first, they seemed relatively normal… but then she got to the newest notes, all scribbled down in a quick, excited scrawl.

Her eyes widened as she realized what it was. "You mean… you've actually figured out what we need to control them?"

Purah nodded in delight. "Yes! All we need is this mineral, which can be added to a certain area within the guardian's infrastructure to boost its command taking process." her demeanour fell, leaving her a bit saddened. "But the lab ran out of this mineral when we made more ancient cores - it seems the ancient Sheikah were quite fond of it, so their technology practically ran on the stuff."

"Where is this mineral found?" Zelda asked.

Purah shot her a suspicious look. "The last time I told you the location of something, you ran off, by _yourself_ , and nearly got yourself _killed_. I'm not falling for that a second time, Princess."

"I promise that I won't go on my own," Zelda said sincerely. She had learned her lesson - last time she had nearly met her death at the hands of the Yiga. Besides… what was the point of running when she had a knight who was _perfectly_ capable of protecting her? "You want the mineral as much as I do, don't you?"

Purah groaned. "Yes, but I can send _anyone else_ to get it. If you get hurt out there, _I_ will be the one who gets in trouble."

"I'll be fine," Zelda insisted. "I haven't been able to get out in _weeks_. This'll be good for me!" It wasn't in any way a lie. She longed to be outside - she had hardly seen the sun since returning from the Gerudo, and she was becoming a bit restless.

"Fine," Purah huffed. "The mineral is found around the base of Death Mountain, along the path Northeast from Woodland Stable."

 _Woodland Stable…_ the last time she had been there... Zelda shook her head, quickly forced away the guilt inducing memories. "That won't be too long," Zelda mused aloud. "I doubt my father would mind too much."

Purah sighed. "Alright then." The Sheikah scientist turned to Link. "Linky, you up for a trip?"

The knight in question, who was still absently stroking the kitten in his arms, looked up at Purah. He tilted his head.

"Were you not listening?" Purah asked with a teasing annoyance. "That's unlike you. Something on your mind?"

Link quickly shook his head. "What was the question?" he asked.

"The princess is going to retrieve some materials for me over by Woodland Stable," Purah explained. "Are you up for it?"

Link nodded without hesitation. "When?" he asked, much too Zelda's surprise.

"Hmm…" Purah turned back to Zelda. "When would you like to leave? I'm sure the servants could have you packed up by tomorrow morning."

Zelda nodded. "That ought to be fine." She looked towards Link. "Is that alright with you, Sir Link?"

Link - _Sir_ Link - nodded silently.

"It's settled then!" Zelda said, clapping her hands together. "Tomorrow, we're off to Woodland Stable!"

* * *

 **Settled, Zelda? You sure about that? Y'all know what's coming. ;)**

 **Oof. Sorry for the late chapter! I had some difficulties getting this chapter out, for those of you who didn't see the note (should be deleted by now). I have no guarantees that it won't happen again, but (this is going to sound insane) with school coming back up, I'll probably be able to maintain a stable schedule from here on out. Why? Because no one can drag me anywhere on a school night! MUAHAHAHAHAAAaaaa...**

 **Speaking of oofs with chapters... it turns out that chapter 28 is bad luck. I saw in my doc manager that the original chapter 28 (for the original _Before_ ) was titled, and I quote: "Before Chapter 28: PLZ WORK, I'M BEGGING YOU." So... yeah. Oof.**

 **If you haven't already, I do have a oneshot that is (by the looks of it) going to become a short, three or so chapter story. It's based solely around pre- _Before_ (The rewrite, because the original... not even _I_ understand the original anymore :/), so it might be interesting to you readers. I might have to make it required reading for _Before (The Rewrite)_ at some point, because I have too much backstory for Link, gosh darn it! I am planning a much longer pre- _Before (The Better One)_ story focusing on his backstory, but that story won't cover the period of time the oneshot/short story is based around, nor will it come out before _Before (The Rewrite)_ is completed.**

 **Haven't edited this chapter a ton (At all. I usually look over it before uploading, but I'm tired from traveling/being lazy), so if you catch any errors, it would be GREAT if you pointed them out!**

 **Thank you all for your support! You're all way too kind to me! (No, seriously! My cat is meaner than you! Well... bad comparison, but STILL)**

 **Don't forget to review! :)**

 **Sincerely (maybe),**

 **Ari~**


	30. Chapter 29: Opinions and Ideals

_**Chapter 29: Opinions and Ideals**_

Liari found herself stumbling to the library, a task far more difficult than it should've been. After all, she was balancing nearly a dozen books in her arms, struggling to see in front of her.

 _Stupid Purah,_ Liari thought indignantly. Her mentor was always finding new ways to torture her. Why couldn't that woman return all her stupid books by herself? Some of which had nothing to do with Sheikah technology?

 _Why on earth would Purah be reading books about anxiety and animal fur?_

Liari, who had been ranting extensively internally, hadn't been paying much attention to her balance or the direction she was heading. But despite this, she found herself startled as she ran into something quite firm.

The books tumbled from her arms, the young scientist falling backwards, the breath knocked out of her lungs.

She sat up and shot the stone wall in front of her a fierce glare. _Stupid walls,_ she thought, grumbling. _Always in the way when I'm dealing with mountains of useless books._

"Need help there?" a voice asked.

"No," Liari growled, shooting the owner of the voice a glare.

"Well, now," the Sheikah man said, "that isn't very nice. I'm only trying to help, Mistress Liari."

Liari gave him a look that said 'Shut up, or I'll turn your insides into your outsides.' "I am quite fine, Vald, thank you very much," she said, her voice lacking the formal elegance she ought to be using. She just wasn't in the mood today.

Liari began to gather up her mentor's books, and nearly hissed as she noticed Vald pick up some books out of the corner of her eye.

"' _The Science of Anxiety and Stress,'_ eh?" he noted. "That doesn't have anything to do with Sheikah Technology as far as I know."

"Doctor Purah," Liari huffed as she stood up, the mountain of books balanced precariously on one arm, "may focus primarily on ancient technology, but she studies a variety of other subjects in her spare time."

"Ah," Vald said, not commenting as Liari tugged the books out of his hands and placing them on her stack. "You're not in the best of moods today, Miss Liari?" he asked.

She shot him a glare. "I thought it wasn't obvious."

"And why is that?" he prodded.

Liari groaned and made her way down the hall, Vald's footsteps patiently following from behind. "Doctor Purah sent Princess Zelda on a mission I personally asked for. One that is particularly dangerous, nonetheless," she growled. "Meanwhile, she sends me on errands to drop off her ridiculous piles of books at the library."

"Ah," Vald hummed. "So you feel your mentor underestimates your abilities?"

"Somewhat," Liari admitted, albeit a bit angrily. She paused in her march of fury to shift the books in her arms as they began to tip over. "I was excited to finally be apart of such an important discovery… but then Doctor Purah had to go and _exclude me_."

"Important discovery?" Vald asked, sounding interested.

"We found out what we need to control the guardians," Liari explained nonchalantly, though a layer of irritation still found its way into her voice. "In the core systems, there was damage done to the command processing unit due to the years spent underground. It was a bit difficult to figure it out, but it's a simple enough fix. We have all the parts to repair them besides a mineral found near the base of Death Mountain."

"Command processing unit?" Vald questioned.

"Yeah, yeah," Liari said. "CPU for short. It's a small part of the core that contains some things that we aren't entirely sure we understand, but luckily the part that we don't understand remains intact. Of course, that's only with the one guardian we've been isolating research to, so we aren't sure if that's the case with the others."

"Interesting!" Vald exclaimed with a dramatic flair befitting a certain Rito Champion. "I'd love to hear more! I'll give you some information on that Zonai ruin I told you about before in return, of course - equivalent exchange!"

Liari glanced at the Sheikah man for a moment, curious. "Equivalent exchange?" She was unfamiliar with the term.

"It's a newer phrase that's been gaining popularity in the Gerudo Region," Vald explained as they continued along. "I've spent quite some time there researching their ruins - for example, Arbiter's Grounds. Anyway, the idea of the phrase is that you cannot receive anything without giving something of equal value in return."

"Huh," Liari mused. "I guess it makes sense for something like that to develop in a place like Gerudo Desert, what with the harsh conditions and whatnot."

"Indeed," Vald said, nodding. "Can't even get information down there without some sort of trade, but if you have the right object or information of your own-"

"-you'll get anything you need," Liari finished.

Vald smiled. "Exactly! Certainly a simpler principle, but the one that many of the younger people down in the Gerudo are basing their lives upon."

"It's definitely an... _interesting_ way to look at things," Liari said. She wasn't lying, but she was definitely losing interest in this dumb guy's rant about a single phrase.

"And because I taught you that," Vald said cheekily, "you are entitled to give me some information in exchange."

Liari nearly groaned out loud. This guy was ridiculous and annoying. How did she not notice that at their first meeting? "Well what do you want to know, then?" she asked, barely refraining from grinding her teeth.

"I find that I'm very interested in this 'command processing unit' in the guardians," Vald said, his voice becoming more serious. "Perhaps you could explain it to me a bit more - about how it works?"

"Sure, why not?" Liari grumbled. "It's not like Doctor Purah is having me do much today." She raised the large pile of books in her arms for emphasis.

* * *

They managed to leave the castle the next morning, making it past Orsedd Bridge and halfway to Thims Bridge before having to set up camp for the night. Zelda knew that they could've taken a quicker route through the Hyrule Forest Park, but that would require passing through Rauru Settlement. She decided she would much rather take the longer route, and her knight did nothing to stop her.

She watched as her knight started the campfire quickly and efficiently. The sun was a few minutes from beginning to set, yes, but she supposed it was easier to set up camp while everything was still visible.

She noticed that something had changed in her knight now that they were out in the wild. She could just be imagining it, of course… but it seemed as if some tension had left his shoulders.

"Sir Link?" she asked.

After laying out a sleeping mat, he turned towards her, tilting his head silently.

"I…" Zelda didn't know what she should say. She had wanted to break the silence, but if she didn't come up with something, and quickly, the silence would only grow stiffer and more strained.

"...What is it like to kill?"

She immediately regretted the words that came out of her mouth. She had wondered about that question before - after all, she was destined to aid in the destruction of the Calamity - but she had never dared to ask anyone experienced in the area. And now she had voiced it to the one person she was trying to get on better terms with.

Her knight immediately froze in his movements. It looked as if he was holding his breath.

"You don't have to answer!" she said quickly. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking when I asked the question. It just… came out."

Sir Link plopped down onto the ground a few feet from where she sat, crossing his legs. He released his breath in a near silent sigh.

"It doesn't matter," he stated plainly, the firelight's reflection dancing in his eyes. "I am required to answer you, Your Highness." Zelda winced, but Sir Link did not seem to notice. Her knight looked up towards the sky, staring at the stars that were beginning to fade into the sky.

"Killing is something different for everyone," he said after his moment of silence. "For some, it's a pleasure to spill blood - others see killers as monsters."

After some silence, she realized he would not continue without being prompted. "But what about you?" Zelda asked.

Sir Link jerked his head towards her, the slight tilt of the head returning. She had noticed that it was his way of asking questions, without using his voice unnecessarily.

"How do you feel about it? About killing?" she prodded.

He shook his head. "It is unimportant, Your Highness. My opinion is none of your concern." He spoke the last words with a rehearsed edge. He had said that before in different circumstances. She was certain.

"Well, I'd like to hear it," Zelda insisted. She had gotten herself into this mess, so she might as well come out of it with new information about her knight.

He frowned slightly, surprising Zelda as he looked down at his lap. "Killing is a necessity," he said, Zelda nodding along. That was a reasonable way to look at it.

"But…" Zelda blinked, surprised that he had more to say. "I would avoid it if I could." Her knight looked her in the eye, the fierce blue irises sending shivers down her spine. "Every life has potential and purpose."

She averted her eyes, looked down at her lap. Suddenly, she found herself recalling something he had said what felt like so long ago…

" _Leave. More blood needn't be spilled."_

"You were merciful to the Yiga that attacked me," she realized, looking up. "Is that why?"

Her knight looked down at his lap. "It is treasonous of me to spare the lives of those who attack you," he said quietly. "My view is that of a coward. They were in no way innocent - releasing them alive only did more harm than good."

Zelda hesitated before she spoke, thinking very carefully of how she would phrase her next question. "If you despise killing so… then why did you become a knight?"

He brought his eyes towards the fire, the reflection of the fiery coils dancing in his dark eyes.

"It is all I am good for," he said simply, as if stating a fact.

A tense quiet hung in the air between them. Zelda didn't know how to respond to that. Hylia, she didn't even know what to _think_ about that.

Her knight stood up, glancing up at the now dark sky. "It's late, Your Highness. You should get some sleep."

The rest of the night was spent in silence, Zelda wondering what the veiled emotion was behind those words. Because whatever that was in his glimmering eyes… she was certain she had seen more than the usual blankness in those fierce irises.

* * *

 **Looks like I'm being spirited off again. I thought summer was over, but of course my family decided to travel on the first three day weekend of the school year! Sometimes it's really tempting to set something on fire. Anyway, that's why this will be updated today rather than on Monday - I will be back Monday night, but it kind of sucks - I had wanted to use that day to catch up (more details on that later) on writing, gosh darn it!**

 **You may have noticed that Liari seems a bit "Out of character" this chapter. That's because I REALLY don't know what I want her to act like. Her entire character is mostly based around her being a rebellious teenager, but (despite being a teenager myself) I am ill experienced in that area. I, unlike Liari, am not/was never very rebellious or temperamental, and that is, essentially, the character I want her to have. But despite that, I also want her to have a soft spot for those close to her. Take Link for example - they're practically siblings, and she is very protective of him, going so far as to curse the goddesses and the Master Sword for binding him to his fate. Soooo... if there are any tips you guys have to keep her character more consistent, that would definitely be appreciated!**

 **I'm kind of stressed about something else, too - I am currently a chapter behind schedule, despite having had two weeks to write the chapter after this one. _Weapon_ has had little to no progress. This is mostly because school just started up again, and despite not having to do much quite yet, it's taken some getting adjusted to and preparing for. It's also because I'm procrastinating more and more with every chapter. I haven't wanted to admit it to myself, but I think that I might be starting to lose inspiration for this story. I've started becoming more and more interested in other fandoms (there's a shameless reference to one in here - if you catch it, you're my new best friend), and I've started getting way more easily distracted by other stuff. There's a whole lot of crap that has been adding up to my lack of progress, and I hate it. I PROMISE I'll get this story done eventually - I hate running into a great stories only to find they have been abandoned for years, so I absolutely will NOT let that happen. So I will keep moving forward, I won't stop now (I've put a heck of a lot of time into this story), but I will be updating every two weeks. This story will be finished, or so help me, I will set my OWN lawn on fire.**

 **Real talk over now. Skip to this point to avoid childish ranting. MOVING ON, I didn't do much editing - I was in a rush to get this chapter out on time (despite the fact that I posted it leaves me with one page after this, I hate my life, why can't I just go yeet the stupid car off a cliff and spend the day writing?), so if you see any errors, I'll do my best to fix them ASAP!**

 **Sincerely (and most apologetically),**

 **Ari~**


	31. Chapter 30: Curiosity Killed the Cat

_**notaname**_ **: It's all good - I totally understand, considering how busy my own life's gotten lately! Thank you! I worked hard to try and make that conversation seem realistic, so I'm glad it turned out well!**

 _ **notaname**_ **(2.0): Thank you :3**

 _ **Chapter 30: Curiosity Killed the Cat**_

Though they were only at the base of Death Mountain, Zelda still found the heat nearly unbearable. It clung to her skin like the sweat on her forehead, leaving her panting like a dog.

She almost wanted to complain… but there was just one thing that stopped her. Her knight, unlike herself, showed no sign of being bothered by the heat besides the faint red tint to his face.

" _They want someone stoic and strong. Ensuring their faith is my duty to the kingdom. I will not fail."_

His words had continued to repeat themselves, playing on a constant loop within her mind. She had never before realized that a few words could affect someone so drastically, let alone herself.

 _He silently bears his burdens, all on his own,_ Zelda thought, determined. _I can at least try to do the same._ So she kept her mouth shut and kept walking, doing her best to ignore the heat that bore down on her like a fiery blanket.

Zelda paused on the trail, hearing the light clink of her knight's scabbard grow silent. He was very quiet in movement, yes, but she had learned what sounds to listen for - he could silence his own footsteps, but the way his scabbard moved was impossible to completely silence.

"This should be far up enough," Zelda explained, quickly looking around the ground along the sides of the trail. "Purah said it was only found around the base of the mountain… so there should be some around here."

She heard the light clank of her knight's scabbard yet again - he had most likely shifted his weight onto a different foot, or perhaps had nodded. It was a bit infuriating, but somewhat fun to guess what her knight was doing while she wasn't looking.

Zelda got down on the ground. "Purah said that the mineral is a shiny, metallic substance found in large clumps near the surface," Zelda mused aloud. "It's rather common around here, so it shouldn't be hard to find."

Sometimes she liked to pretend that her knight dropped his guard when she wasn't looking, making a bit of a game of it. She would turn around quickly, too quickly for one to react properly, but she would always be met with a face skillfully kept blank. She didn't know why she expected any different - she supposed that, after that night in the kitchen, she had decided she didn't know what to expect of her appointed knight anymore.

She always had liked surprises. And when she turned her head to find her knight, knelt on the ground and digging his way through the dirt and rock right beside her, the slightest tug at the corner of his lips (something that brought a smile to her own, though, had she seen it a few months previously, she would have found it arrogant and aggravating), she was reminded yet again of what an enigma he was.

He was a knight - a soldier, a weapon of war. Yet he had admitted that he was not fond of killing. He appeared cold and hardened, but she had witnessed him cradling a kitten in his arms with gentle hands befitting of a healer. He was a prodigy swordsman, a knight of the Royal Guard, and, for goodness's sake, the Hylian Champion and Hero of Hyrule, yet not once had she seen him parade his titles.

Now that she thought of it, she had never even heard him _speak_ his title, or introduce himself at all - that, and all of those who seemed to know him personally didn't use his title. Purah even went so far as to call him "Linky."

That brought her mind to a pause. Other people knew Link. Why hadn't she thought to ask _them_ about him?

 _Wait a second,_ she thought, this time her mind being brought to an abrupt halt. _I_ did _ask someone about him._

" _Through the twilight's beauty, something solemn hides,"_ Urbosa had said tauntingly. " _Those who don't seek it shall never find."_

 _The riddle!_ She realized. In that one moment, she managed to put the pieces together. _This whole time..._

Then she found herself chuckling. _Urbosa, you knew all along that I was too stubborn to look close enough, didn't you?_

"Princess?" she heard from beside her, that once infuriatingly blank voice now seeming so much more soft and soothing to her weary mind.

"Nothing," she said. "I just remembered something Urbosa told me about. A poem about twilight. She told me to figure it out…" Zelda trailed off.

" _That_ poem?" her knight asked, surprising her.

Zelda jerked her head towards him. "What do you mean, ' _that_ poem?'"

And then, quoted so perfectly it seemed second nature to him, he stated: "'Through the twilight's beauty, something solemn hides. Those who don't seek it shall never find.'"

Zelda gaped at him, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly before she managed to find words. "How do you know about that?" she sputtered. Had he heard that entire conversation? No, Zelda couldn't remember much of what had been spoken, but she doubted she had said anything kind about her knight.

Her knight shifted uncomfortably, his face clearly struggling to remain blank. "I lived in Gerudo Town for a short time when I was younger," he explained quietly. "Chief Urbosa used to throw that poem around like a catchphrase."

She was surprised at first, but… now that she thought about it… hadn't Urbosa mentioned something about Link that one night, shortly before the Yiga incident?

" _It's rare that we get anyone that young in the desert, but… his situation required it."_

 _What situation was it?_ Zelda wondered. So she voiced it aloud, her curiosity getting the best of her. "Why were you in the desert?"

Her knight, shocking her to the core, flinched. He _flinched._ It was slight, so very subtle, but clear as day. _Who are you and what have you done with Sir Link?_

"I…" he paused, trailing off. Then he fixed her with a blank stare, his fierce eyes sending a shudder down her spine, giving no emotion away. "It's none of your concern."

"I thought you said you _had_ to answer me honestly," Zelda pointed out, referring to their conversation the night before.

Her knight frowned, looking down at the ground. It was a pretty low of her, Zelda knew, to use his own words against him. But her curiosity was killing her!

"...I was there with my mother," he said simply.

"Why wouldn't you want me to know about-" Zelda cut herself off abruptly as she connected the dots. "Your mother…" she whispered. "Is she…?"

Link looked away, silent. But his answer was clear enough.

Zelda didn't speak another word for the rest of the morning, continuing her search in silence. She was quite bad at interacting with her knight - she kept on bringing up the most cruel and horrific of topics. But this might've been a record worst.

His mother was dead.

* * *

The princess had become awfully quiet after she discovered what had... _happened_ , Link had noticed. It was as if she took the blame for what happened to someone she'd never met…

 _It was my fault,_ Link insisted to himself. _Mine and mine alone. The princess has never done a single thing to feel so guilty._

He closed his eyes momentarily, but he quickly opened them again - not before the image of a bloody corpse passed through his conscience, however, along with a limp hand held in his grasp.

 _Never again,_ he thought. _Too many times have I failed to protect someone. Next time, I'll succeed, or die trying._ Of course, with his record, the more likely of the two was the latter.

The princess had found and gathered quite a bit of the mineral (he believed Purah had dubbed it "Sh13k89," a name that gave him a headache just by thinking about it) - he suspected that Purah had only instructed her to gather half that amount. He had a feeling that she was dedicating herself to this search less for the original objective, and more for the sake of avoiding his eyes.

It wasn't like she hadn't acted like this before - mere weeks before she had hated him quite passionately, and when she wasn't ignoring him, she had scolded him (though sometimes it was much deserved) without restraint.

This, however, was different. There wasn't the cloud of hatred and rage hanging around her, rearing its ugly head whenever he dared to speak - instead, she held herself in a way that seemed so very small, so very _helpless_. He doubted it had anything to do with his mother - as he stated before, she...

 _-a scream of agony tore through the air, and he immediately knew that she, the only one he had left... she-_

...had no reason to feel guilty about that.

Shaking off the flashbacks that hadn't been so frequent in ages, Link finally noticed something was strange about the area they were in - something was off. Something in the air was stiff and tense. It was too quiet, too _still_. He hadn't heard the scuttle of lizards across rock, nor had he heard the distant cawing of a territorial Eldin ostrich.

Something was off, and he didn't like it. It was a feeling that was all too familiar to him…

"Your Highness," he said quietly, looking towards her. The princess jumped, as if he had startled her out of her thoughts.

"What is it, Sir Link?" she asked a bit awkwardly.

She was clearly unnerved by the expression on his face - he couldn't bring himself to force his grim expression to change. She had to understand the situation at hand, and they had no time for games.

"I need you to get to the stable as quickly as possible," he said slowly and clearly.

"What?" the princess squawked indignantly. "Why?"

Her question was answered for him when a horde of bokoblins burst out from behind the rocks.

* * *

 **Heheheh... cliffhangers. We have a love-hate relationship.**

 **HELLO THERE, EVERYBODY. I'M NOT DEAD. WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE I'M DEAD? THIS IS THE NORMAL UPDATE SCHEDULE NOW, SO WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE I'M LATE AND DEAD? ALSO, WE'VE HIT 200 REVIEWS, TOTALLY NOT FREAKING OUT OVER HEAR, YADA YADA YODA (haven't done a secret review phrase in a while... so Yoda it is). THANK YOU ALL, YOU'RE ALL GREAT, I'M NOT SLEEP-DEPRIVED, I SWEAR. I'M JUST INSANE.**

 **Now that I've regained my sanity... I would like to thank you you all! I'm pretty sure that chapter thirty (sixty-seven if you count the old _Before_ , which add up to 400+ pages) and 200 reviews is a landmark or whatever! You're all really supportive and helpful (motivation juice! Yay!)!**

 **I've been really busy recently (school, homework, siblings, illness, almost dying 6573657819 times (the mile run can go jump off a microwave), and various other life related things), so I was not able to reply to all of the reviews (especially because of how many reviews I've gotten between last chapter and this chapter). I PROMISE I'LL GET ALL OF THEM NEXT TIME, AND IF I MISSED YOU, I'M REALLY, REALLY SORRY.**

 **Other than that, I've nothing more to say. If you spot any errors (it's kind of late - I'm uploading this chapter to the doc manager the night before Monday so that there are no issues tomorrow - wow, thinking ahead of time! I've never done it before - it's amazing! (just kidding, I just don't do it often :b) But that also means I'm tired, so I don't trust myself).**

 **Sincerely (wait, what were we talking about?),**

 **Ari~**


	32. Chapter 31: Weapons

**_notaname_ : Oh my gosh, the puns (XD)! Don't worry, I won't be killing off Link's catto! *whispering* at least not _yet_... wait, you didn't hear that! ANYWAY... it's all good! I totally understand - happens to me all the time! Ooh, Wind Waker's a great game! I last played it about a year ago. I just love getting attacked by seagulls! Ah, the memories. My week's been going fine - not much going on for me recently, just normal school things (doing work, getting homework, forgetting about said homework, frantically doing said homework in freetime before/during other classes) and being antisocial. How are you doing?**

 _ **Chapter 31: Weapons**_

Zelda had never been very athletic. As a princess, from the moment she was born she had been coddled and spoiled. She'd never done any farm work or anything of the sort, leaving her with little muscle, and she most certainly had no experience with combat.

But, at the very least, her not-so-strong legs were strengthened by the rush of adrenaline that had immediately pumped into her bloodstream the moment she realized what was happening.

She was leaving her knight behind to fight of who knew how many monsters - she could've sworn she heard the roar of a lynel, but her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears that it was hard to tell. She didn't dare to look back - she had learned that slowing to turn around was the last thing she should do.

 _Please be alright, Link,_ she pleaded as she skittered around a rock. She was, hopefully, far enough from the battleground now to stop and take a breather.

She collapsed beside the rock, leaning on the warm stone. The sound of the battle had faded with distance, so she could only hear faint cries of monsters and… _oh please, don't let that scream be human._

She panted heavily, but she forced herself to keep aware of her surroundings. She was tired, yes, but her knight was fighting off so many monsters at once… if one escaped his sight, going after her, or something happened to him…

She mentally insisted that the latter of the two options was impossible. Link ( _Sir Link_ , she berated herself) was strong enough to become a Royal Guard at a young age (though now that she thought about it, she really didn't know how old he was)! He was praised by Captain Arduum and Lady Impa, not to mention the servants (though the maids in particular were usually praising his appearance) and soldiers!

But then those cursed words came back to her.

" _They want someone stoic and strong. Ensuring their faith is my duty to the kingdom. I will not fail."_

He was only human. True, an incredible human that seemed to have no real faults (besides being too quiet - and if she were being honest, that might not have been such a bad thing, considering how some people were), but human. And because of that, her knight's mortality became a greater fear with every cry that reached her sharp ears.

She didn't know how long she sat their, her eyes wide as she did her best to keep her surroundings sharp. She wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and ears, to force the sounds of battle out of her mind.

 _And the last thing I ever say to him… of course it has to be bringing up his mother._ She hadn't known, but she didn't let that smother her guilt in the slightest. But now that she knew the truth, she only had more questions. How long had it been since Link's mother had died? How could she have died - illness, or perhaps murder? What about his father?

Then she remembered the painting that she had seen of that soldier, Sir Lycanthryn… the moment the painting came to her mind, the gears in her head began to turn.

But before she had managed to truly grasp the concept of the new theory, she heard a loud, angered roar, but mixed with the cry of rage there was agony, throwing the vague concept out of her mind. That roar… it was _definitely_ a lynel's.

The sounds of battle faded completely, leaving a tense silence in the air. Zelda found herself holding her breath, anxious for what came next. Her hands were shaking.

She was scared, she admitted, as she heard footsteps approaching from the other side of the rock, which was the only reason she wasn't lying on the ground and curled up in a ball. She was afraid that what would come around the corner would not be her knight, but instead a vicious beast that had a taste for human blood.

"Princess?" said a voice as a figure rounded the corner, and Zelda almost collapsed from relief.

"R-right here," she said a bit shakily.

Her knight walked forward and offered a hand, which she accepted with warm cheeks. He pulled her to her feet, and after steadying herself, she reluctantly released his hand.

"How did you manage to fight them all off?" she blurted out.

"Turned them against each other," he said nonchalantly, sheathing the Master Sword in a single swift motion. "The lynels trampled down most of the bokoblins and severely wounded each other. I only took care of what was left to do."

"Lynel _s_?" Zelda squeaked. "There was more than _one_?" She looked at her knight's face more carefully, before gasping. "You're bleeding!"

Her knight tilted his head slightly, before raising his hand to the gash on his forehead, his fingers coming away crimson.

"I'll be fine," he said emotionlessly. "Just a flesh wound."

"I have bandages and water," Zelda said firmly, quickly turning to the leather bag on her hip. "We should get it cleaned up so there's no infection-"

"We should get back to the _stable_ , Your Highness," her knight said, the slightest bit of exasperation slipping into his voice (Zelda didn't know whether to count that as a victory or not). "There could be more monsters-"

"I insist!" Zelda said, and before she knew what she was doing, she had grabbed her knight's arm and dragged him to a good place to sit down.

After using a rag and some water to clear up the blood, she found that the wound was not as bad as previously expected. "That cut doesn't look too bad, actually," she said, voicing her thoughts, as she began to wrap the bandages around Sir Link's head. "You're fine for now, but we might as well bandage it now that it's clean."

The princess folded the end of the bandage so that it would hold, blushing as she realized how this might look from the outside. _What princess bandages the wounds on her knight?_ Zelda cleared her throat and sat up straight. "You know, there's a fine line between courage and recklessness. As brave as you are, that does not make you immortal."

 _Don't you dare do that again,_ she wanted to say as she looked into her knight's curious and somewhat amused blue eyes. _I was worried!_

Her knight nodded, showing his understanding. But Zelda knew that he wouldn't hesitate to go into battle again - not only that, he _would_ go into battle again, against the incarnation of evil and hatred itself. It was funny that she thought there would be any chance of it being otherwise.

It was then Zelda finally took the time to survey the battlefield, standing up to see it in full view. By the sound of the slight clink of a scabbard, she knew that Link had followed.

It was as she saw the piles of mangled bokoblins and dead lynels, splattered with blood. that she was reminded of just how capable her knight was. She had known he was a skilled fighter, yes - he had successfully fought off the Yiga, saving her life. But to destroy such an army of beasts… to turn them against each other so cleverly… it was no wonder he was the chosen one.

"It seems that, not only the frequency of these attacks is on the rise…" she mused aloud, recalling the reports that came in everywhere from the north to the south, "...but the scale of the beasts we are facing is intensifying as well."

She looked down at her feet, her hand going up to her chest, feeling the heartbeat finally begin to slow. "I fear that… I fear that this is an omen which portends the return of Calamity Ganon," Zelda said quietly.

She shook her head and dusted off her trousers, turning to look her knight determinedly in the eye. "And, if that's the case, I'm ready to expect the worst. We'll need to make preparations as soon as possible."

Her knight nodded. "Of course, Princess," he said, surprising Zelda for the who-knows-what-number time that day.

"Zelda," she blurted, before her hands shot up to her mouth. _What am I doing? what am I_ doing _?!_ Her mind screamed.

Link tilted his head.

Her hands fell down to her waist with a sigh. "Please call me Zelda," she said quietly. "I… we're equals. If anything, you are more than me. You've achieved more than I have, more than I possibly will, Sir Link."

Confusion at the conversation turned to a wince at his title, leaving Zelda even more confused as to what was happening. It was a strange day indeed.

"Sir Link?" she repeated.

"I…" his voice was hesitant. "...I am undeserving of calling you anything besides 'Princess' or 'Your Highness,'" he explained. "If anything, _I_ am beneath having a title. There is little honor in being a knight."

The conversation from just a night or so before flooded back to her. _He doesn't like killing_ , she recalled. Of course he would find little pleasure in a title that came with blood - to someone like him it must've been like sticking "Murderer" or "Human Weapon" in front of his name.

Zelda smiled slyly as a plan formed in her mind. "I'll call you Link," she said slowly, drawing Link's eyes back up to hers. He raised an eyebrow, clearly sensing a catch.

"But?"

"But _you_ have to call me Zelda in exchange," Zelda said, grinning.

A conflicted expression came over her knight's face - Zelda had to admit that she was loving the expressions today. It was like seeing a rare ray of sunshine in a normally dreary and rainy land. She was more than happy to bask in its warmth.

"I do not feel like being sentenced to death, _Princess_ ," Link said finally, putting stress on the title. "Call me whatever you like, but _I_ am bound by oath."

Zelda blushed. He made an excellent point - nobles and other higher ups would not be happy if they found out her knight was calling her anything other than "Your Highness" or "Your Royal Majesty."

"Just when no one else is around," she insisted. "I… I've spent my whole life as a princess. I'd like to be a normal girl for once… not some failure." She spat out the last three words, the syllables like venom on her tongue. She looked toward her knight, meeting his eyes with a pleading, sincere expression. "At least give me that."

It was like staring at two pools reflecting the sky. They were blank and unfeeling at first glance, but as she looked further… she saw clouded, hazy emotions that she suspected reflected her own. _Impossible,_ she thought. _I'm seeing things._ This was _Link_ after all!

"...Maybe someday," he said finally, averting his eyes and looking towards the battlefield. "But even if you were a common maid, I wouldn't be worthy of speaking your name as I am now." His face shifted to something like disgust, though it was quite subtle. "I'm nothing more than a weapon. There is little honor in being a knight."

 _Little honor…_ at those words, Zelda recalled the veteran knights that she had seen and heard during festivals. They were often asked to give speeches on the honor of being a knight of Hyrule. Sometimes they were powerful, inspiring speeches that were spoken with true sincerity and pride, weaving tales of bravery and winning against the odds. Sometimes they were solemn, remembering the deaths of their comrades with respect and gratitude.

But just a few years before, there had been a speech that didn't fit into either mold. Instead, the elderly veteran, a previous general that had headed the whole of Hyrule's army, had shocked the entire audience into silence.

" _I bet you expect me to sing flowery praises about how much pride I have for the Hyrulean army,"_ he had said slowly, as if speaking to young children. " _That I'll regale you with tales of glory and might, showing my complete faith in this kingdom's army - telling you to do the same."_ Then he had scoffed. " _Well, I will not let the knights of this kingdom hide behind their curtain of propaganda any longer. You want to know what a knight is?"_

At that point in the speech, some higher ranking knights had rushed towards the podium, only to be stopped by the lowly guards that normally cowered beneath them.

" _A knight is nothing more than a weapon. A tool, for violence and death! I know it, the king knows it, your general knows it, your soldiers know it! We may protect you, but we also kill other living, breathing human beings! Remember the war with Labrynna, a mere two, near three decades ago?"_

When this point in the speech had come, the veteran general's eyes had clouded. " _We killed them. Villages of innocent men, women, and children alike, slaughtered like they were worse than animals. All because we hide behind our armies before even bothering to try to resolve conflict by humane means!"_

The veteran general's son, a knight in his forties with an eye patch over one of his eyes, had made his way up to the stage to bring guide his father off the podium gently - but not before the veteran had shouted a few last words.

" _We humans are fools! There is little honor in being a knight! Remember that, and maybe one day you'll actually understand!"_

Zelda blinked away the memories, shaking them off. Though Link was no longer facing her, she could still a portion of his right eye. In it, she saw the same look she had seen in that veteran's eyes. Anger? Hatred? Guilt? Fear?

Perhaps she'd never know. Normally, when Zelda thought this, it steeled her determination to find the answer. No matter what, she would find out how to use her sealing powers. No matter what, she would find out how to get the guardians into working condition.

But, she thought, maybe just this once, just maybe, she didn't _want_ to know.

* * *

 **Whew! One of the longest chapters in the book, and without a single scene OR PoV change! AMAZING! I hardly believe it myself! I mean, I think there's a chapter that's nine pages in the original font, and this one is only 8 1/4, but WHATEVER!**

 **For once in my life, I don't have a ton to write in this here author's note, and it's kind of weird. I've currently given up on my one chapter ahead schedule, because two weeks ago I was *coughcough* _procrastinating to the extreme_ *coughcough* and totally got behind schedule. Maybe I'll fix that eventually, I dunno. **

**In case you didn't notice, I made some references to the... what's it called? Partner fic? I dunno, but I made some references to the insert whatever its called here to _Before (The Rewrite, because the old one confuses me)_ , _Weapon._ It's literally the chapter's title. I'll probably be making some more references to it in the future... but there were like five in here. One you won't understand until later in _Before_ or _Weapon_ , but yeah, whatever.**

 **Reviews make me happy! Leave one if you can, but if you can't because your cat ripped off your hand, you're in an emergency room, you're feeling shy, or whatever, I won't judge you! But if you want to leave one and just don't know what to say... I'm gonna be blunt. Say anything - literally _any_ review lights up my day. Even critical ones! Wait, have I ever had an actual, legitimate critical/hate review? *Contemplates the average nature of reviewers on and makes extreme thinking noises***

 **That's all! Have a wonderful two weeks, y'all (why the heck do I keep saying/writing "y'all?!")! I wish you all luck on the chaotic road that is life! Wear your seat belt!**

 **Sincerely (*snort* I'm awake! What am I being sincere about again?),**

 **Ari~**


	33. Chapter 32: Rain

**Anything Guest: Good job! You get a gold sticker! XD**

 **notaname: Oh, don't worry too much about it... not yet, anyways ;) ~ Hello! Oof, I know the feeling. Ah, yes - homework can go die in a hole. Woah, you socialized?! Brave soul! I will never compare to your courage and might in human interaction! Smash Bros Brawl tournament, huh? Sounds like fun! I remember doing something like that a couple years ago... I totally kicked everybody's butts (with Link of course XD)! Life... can be boring, can be exciting, can be terrifying... it's just one big roller coaster, right? Have a nice week yourself! :)**

 **notaname (2.0): Glad to hear it! Hope it stays that way!**

 **Belgian Guest: I'm glad that it is good for you!**

 **SomeGuest: Nonononono, don't go near that monstrosity! You might catch the craziness and insanity of it! Heh, just kidding. You can read it whenever you want (NO DON'T YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO LIVE FOR!). It really doesn't have a ton of similarities to the rewrite - I changed a lot of things, and I think that everything I'm keeping the same has already been revealed in here. Could be wrong though. What? No, you shouldn't worry about Kitten. (*does the evil villain hand thing* not yet at least...) About the speech guy... HMMMM... I'll give you a slight hint. It may or may not have something to do with the side story _Weapon_ that I've been writing. That's all I can say right now. ;)**

 **Whew! Lots of guest reviewers last chapter! Since there were a few without nicknames assigned, I created my own for you for the sake of differentiation. Make sure you find yours, because I replied to all of them here!**

 _ **Chapter 32: Rain**_

The halls of the castle were cold and creepy, filled with shadows and the creaking of old, rusted hinges. Rain beat upon the windows, filling the air with the sound of pattering and distant thunder.

The furry shape was barely visible in the night as it slinked silently through the cover of darkness. Its black fur made it nearly appear as a shadow itself, if not for the golden eyes that gleamed eerily in the gloom of the witching hour.

The feline turned into the library, lit by nothing but the few remaining candles. It was empty of people, nothing to hear except the pounding of rain that continued to beat on the windows, unrelenting in pace.

The cat's ears pricked as the beast heard something. The light tap of tiny paws was easy for it to catch, accompanied by a sniveling squeak that made the origin all the more obvious.

It crouched low to the ground, the fur on its stomach brushing the floor of the sanctuary of literature. It stalked up on its prey - a plump grey mouse, oblivious to its hunter.

It was when the cat pounced, trapping the mouse in its jaws, that whispered words flooded down from the upper sections of the library.

"Did you get the information we need?"

"Not all of it," admitted a different voice. "The princess is rather difficult to spy on, what with her being constantly on the move. My post is here, so I can't do much about that."

"And her knight?"

"We think he might be the same kid the master was after four or five years back. Not much to confirm it other than appearance - he and that foolish woman were awfully good at escaping. They came up with lots of cover names in that time, so we can't be entirely sure. He could still be using one."

"Why _was_ the good master so interested in that boy? I wasn't apart of that particular investigation - too busy at my post here, you know."

There was a momentary silence before the other voice responded. "If I remember right, the master sensed a high energy signature in him - strange aura, the like. He suspected that he was the hero because of it. If the knight and the boy are one and the same…"

"I wouldn't be too surprised. The master is rarely wrong… and if the knight is truly as resourceful as they say, then there's little doubt. That little brat slipped from our fingers far too many times… too smart for his own good."

"Well, whether the knight is the kid or not, we've got little info on him. He's very good at hiding things - I don't think anyone in this castle has so much as witnessed him twitch an eyebrow. I did some digging, and there's little to no intel on his past, weaknesses, family… nothing at all. Its as if he really isn't even human! Just a weapon."

A chuckle came from the other voice. "Ah, that makes this all the more enjoyable. We'll find his weakness - don't worry. In even the strongest of blades, there's always a crack."

* * *

"Crap!" hissed Purah.

"What is it?" Liari asked, looking up from the diagrams she was copying down.

Purah nursed her thumb with her free, not injured hand. "I dropped the stupid Sheikah artifact on my thumb!" she exclaimed, gesturing to the glowing Sheikah Tech ball that now rolled on the floor like it was nobody's business. _Snap,_ Purah thought. _I hope that didn't damage any of the internal structure… I still haven't managed to crack it open yet!_ And if hitting the ground wasn't enough… perhaps she'd have to chuck it out the window of the tallest tower in the castle.

"Purah, I know that face," Liari grumbled. "Don't tell me you're going to blow something up again. That's the third time this week!"

Purah shook her head with a grin. "Nope. Just gotta find a way to sneak my way into the sanctum to get to the top of the tallest tower in the castle!" Purah exclaimed, not even bothering to lie about what she was thinking about.

"Purah…" Liari said slowly. "The sanctum is only for incredibly important events! No one's allowed in there without an invite! To go in now is… is…"

"Insane?" Purah offered.

"A death sentence!" Liari growled. "Maybe if you were going to do something actually _worthwhile…_ "

"Chucking a Sheikah heirloom counts as worthwhile!" Purah argued. "If it breaks open…"

"Purah…" Liari trailed off. "Great idea. Let's do it _right now_."

Purah sent Liari a very confused look. "Um, what? Who are you and what have you done with that stick in the mud, Liari?"

"Still me!" Liari said with exaggerated cheerfulness. "If you get sentenced to death, or better yet, 'accidentally' fall off a tower, I won't have to deal with you as a mentor anymore!"

"I am honored," Purah said, sniffling, "that you think so highly of me. Everyone's considered doing such things, but you are the first to imply that you are willing to shove me off the tower yourself!"

"Oh, no," Liari said brightly. "I'd get _Kitten_ to trip you!"

Purah rolled her eyes as she pulled her goggles onto her face to examine the internal wiring of a shell stripped ancient core. "Well nonetheless, I'm touched. I'm sure that getting that vile beast to do anything you want it to would be more effort than actually shoving me off yourself."

Liari snorted. "I thought you liked cats more than Impa? You don't sound like it."

"Just because I'm not terrified of some nonsense myth doesn't mean I like cats," Purah said indignantly. Then she frowned. "That's strange."

"What is?" Purah saw Liari peek over her shoulder out of the corner of her eye.

"Some of the circuits on this core are missing," Purah explained. "Mostly the incomplete prototypes that register long distance command, which were, unfortunately, the only ones we've managed to make."

"Really?" Liari gasped. "Where could they have gone?"

"Might've been stolen," Purah said nonchalantly, poking at the wiring. "We might have to request guards to patrol the lab at night now. A shame, really," she continued. "Zelda hasn't even gotten back with the rest of the materials yet. I was so excited to finally be able to test it out..."

Thunder rumbled in the distance, drawing Purah's attention momentarily to the window. Rain had been pouring relentlessly as of late, not showing any sign of letting up soon. Autumn had finally come with all of its chill wind and rainy weather. It wouldn't be long before the leaves became crisp reds and golds.

Purah sighed and turned her eyes back to the ancient core. It really was disappointing - she had spent _weeks_ working on the blueprints for those circuits and receivers. She had been really excited to finally test it out - nonverbal commands! Imagine that - being able to control the guardians from far away, and without speaking! It would've been revolutionary - but alas, they were gone and missing. _Probably stolen by some common thief that doesn't even know what they do,_ she thought with a huff.

The rain continued to pound on the windows, Purah completely oblivious to the thoughtful, slightly confused expression that slipped onto Liari's face.

* * *

Link sat silently at the entrance of the stable, watching the rain that fell in buckets outside. It was a rather damp, dreary sort of day. The Princess Zelda had deemed it necessary to delay their return to the castle in the wake of the unsavory weather.

He inhaled deeply, breathing in the fresh, earthy scent of rain. Rain may have been an inconvenience for travel, but he had always been fond of it. It brought back memories of simpler days, days of playing in the puddles and rolling in the mud. No worries, no cares. Just a child doing what all young children did.

When had he last been a child? He couldn't remember. Certainly not after his mother had died. But he couldn't think of a time he had been innocent and oblivious to the things of the world. When had he last looked into the rain and simply enjoyed the smells, the refreshing feeling of being born anew, instead of being reminded of bittersweet memories?

He took a deep breath and stood up from the place where he had been perched, taking in the scent again. He closed his eyes and longed for the simplicity of earlier years. For a moment, the smell of the air had become iron-like of blood, mixed with the rotten stench of burning flesh.

It was gone as soon as it had come.

He sighed and stepped out into the rain. It was a dark, colder night. The chill wind nipped at the skin on his face, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

Link glanced around momentarily, ensuring that yes, everyone was asleep. And with that, he drew his sword and circled his way towards the enclosure behind the stable. It had been awhile since he had a good, long training session - who knew what the captain'd do if he found out?

So Link started with the usual exercises. Quick, precise movements of the sword, flicks of the wrist, practiced leaps and dodges. Then he moved on to back handsprings, flips, and cartwheels - his Sheikah training had involved much more acrobatics than that of the usual knight, and it came in handy. Enemies never really expected it, so it took them by surprise and left them open.

An hour of flips and slashes later, he was panting, cold and wet as can be. But he knew it would still be a few hours before the sun rose. _I can do more,_ he reasoned. _This is nothing compared to some exercises Impa made me do. I can be stronger._

So he raised his sword again and prepared it for a maneuver-

"Link?"

He whirled around, hearing the voice amidst the now light pattering of rain, sword brandished defensively.

...He lowered it when he caught sight of the girl, dressed in more comfortable, casual clothing than usual, meeting his eyes with confusion.

"...Princess?" he questioned.

"What are you doing out here?!" she exclaimed. "It's the middle of the night! Not to mention that it was pouring rain mere minutes ago!"

Link was, yet again, confused by the princess's actions. "...I'm training, Your Highness," he stated bluntly.

"Yes, and that's great and all," Zelda said sarcastically, "but why in this weather? Are you _trying_ to get yourself hypothermia?"

Link shook his head quickly. _I was just training! Where did all this come from?_

"Good," the princess huffed, marching over to him and looking him dead in the eye. "So how long have you been out here?"

"An hour, Princess," Link replied, holding back a gulp.

"An hour…" she looked him up and down. "That explains why you're soaking wet. What exactly made you so eager to train in a storm?"

"I have been behind on training recently," Link explained, the little emotion that had been in his voice gone. "This was... _catching up_ , so to speak."

"So you've done this sort of thing before, then?" Zelda asked coolly.

Link nodded.

"When?"

 _Too many times to count_ , Link thought. "I've lost track, Your Highness," he said honestly.

The princess sighed. "Well, let's get out of the last of this rain, and you can explain to me why you thought this was a good idea. If you have no good answer, then I will see to it this does _not_ happen again. Understood?"

Link nodded, skillfully keeping the dread and fear off of his face. "Yes, Princess."

So he followed her inside, the small and strange feeling of wantedness warming his soul.

* * *

 **Have you guys ever had that one moment when you are almost completely done with an author's note, and then you accidentally unplug your computer and erase all of it? Just me? NOT THAT I DID THAT (I totally did), I DIDN'T (I'm a liar), I PROMISE (Lol, fingers crossed)!**

 **This chapter's kind of all over the place, just like my life has been recently! Ah, homework~ how I despise you! *Unplugs computer again* NO SHOOT - oh, just the monitor, phew. WAIT, I DIDN'T DO THAT, JUST... IGNORE THAT. (Secret review phrase is unplug ;)**

 **Work on _Weapon_ continues, but I currently have... 18 chapters of unread fan fiction that I need to get through (bladeofthebookworms, if you're reading this, prepare for a spam of reviews). _Before (the one that doesn't suck)_ is going to be the priority, and I might have to publish a few chapters in here before I do certain parts of _Weapon_ \- can't spoil now, can I? (yeah, you'll probably need to be up to date with _Before (the rewrite, the other one doesn't exist)_ to read _Weapon_.)**

 **Insert "excuse about not doing a thorough enough job on looking through, as well as a plea to point out any obvious errors or just REVIEW PLEASE, I NEED MOTIVATION JUICE" here**

 **Thanks y'all (Ari, no, stop. Don't... don't do that.) Hehe... _y'all_. (NO, STOP, DON'T DO THIS TO MEEEEEEE)**

 **Sincerely (Define sincerity. Is it lacking in modern times? Why or why not? Explain your answer with textual evidence from insert article here),**

 **Ari~**


	34. Chapter 33: Gears

**notaname: That's right! ;) My week's been going alright. I hate homework - my teachers assigned it over the weekend! Can you believe it?! THE WEEKEND! AND THEY DO IT REGULARLY! ON THE WEEKEND! The nerve of them... anywho... that sounds really cool! The last time I did something like that was... never! It does sound like it would be an awesome experience to have (when you don't think about the chill grip of terror and anxiety that precedes and even attends such events)! TEACH ME HOW TO DO THAT WITH THE WII MOTE, I'M BEGGING YOU! I used to main as Link, but I think they made him weaker in Ultimate because I'm not as good with him as I used to be. So I use random characters for the most part. OOH, OOH, GUESSING GAMES! Um... Ganondorf maybe? Um... meta knight is a popular one. Samus? SNAPE- I mean Snake? I DON'T KNOW, I'M BAD AT GUESSING! Have a nice week! XD**

 **notaname (mark 2): Oh, don't worry about that! If I judged you for that, I would be the biggest hypocrite ever XD**

 **Guest: Mysterious furries... or should I say SPOOPY?! Ah, yes, the secret review phrase. Honestly, I forgot about it myself... HOW DARE YOU NOT SAY THE SECRET REVIEW PHRASE? Hah, just kidding. Lonk catches all the colds - just like he catches butterflies in Twilight Princess! Ah, sweet, pure Lonk.**

 **Guest (2.0): No, don't worry about it! I loved that review! DON'T INSULT MY MOTIVATION JUICE! **

**Now roll the tape! OH SHOOT, NO KITTEN, STOP! DON'T DO THA-**

 _ **Chapter 33: Gears**_

A loud squeal echoed from the Sheikah Lab of the castle, heard even from the far edges of castle town.

"We're getting a building! We're getting a building! Did you _hear that_ , Liari? _We're getting a building!_ "

Liari very nearly facepalmed. Earlier that morning, they'd received a letter that informed them of the official Sheikah Tech lab, which was nearly complete and ready for relocation. Purah had been dancing and singing like a lovesick teenager.

 _To be fair, Purah did claim to be married to science,_ Liari thought. _I wouldn't put it past her to have actually had a ceremony and everything._

"We're getting a building!" Purah sang cheerfully. "A building! A building!"

"We're getting a building," Liari sang in the same tune, "and if you don't stop I'll kill you."

"Hey, that doesn't rhyme!" Purah said indignantly. "OR match the rhythm! It's almost like you know nothing about music!"

"I don't," Liari deadpanned. "Because unlike you, _I_ actually focus on Sheikah Technology and don't read up on completely irrelevant subjects."

"You're so mean," Purah sniffled. "Music is a wonderful art! You're just jealous that I know more stuff than you!"

Sometimes it was hard to remember that Purah was a highly knowledgeable and respected scientist - she acted like a _six year old_ , for goodness's sake! Liari wasn't sure who was supposed to be the adult in their relationship.

"Music," Liari said coolly, "is useless when it comes to research on Sheikah Technology."

"Is not!" Purah huffed. "Studies show that music activates both the right and left sides of the brain," Purah rattled off as if reciting a textbook (she probably was). "The activation of both hemispheres is proven to maximize learning and improve memory. It can also-"

"Purah…"

"-help with stress, decrease anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure levels. It improves overall performance in high pressure events. It engages the parts of the human brain that are involved with paying attention and making predictions. It-"

"Purah…"

"-is also linked to things like emotion and memory. It can serve as a trigger for receiving lost memories-"

"Purah!" Liari snapped. "I _get it_. Music helps you focus and whatever. Doesn't mean I have to care for it."

Purah rolled her eyes. "This is why Link is my favorite out of the two of you. He actually _appreciates_ a good tune."

Liari blinked. "What do you mean?" Then she remembered. "Oh! He always liked to sit and listen to the music at all the festivals, didn't he?"

"He actually even helped arrange some of the music too," Purah recalled with a smile. "He kept it quiet - was embarrassed, I think. Shouldn't have been, in my opinion. The ones he helped with always were the best."

"Wait wait wait," Liari said. "Back it up. The music at the festival was arranged _yearly?_ Not like, repeating the same songs every single year?"

Purah shrugged. "Yeah. Sheikah may be traditional, but people can only take so much of that crap before they spontaneously combust. I've always been a fan of the festivals just because of that."

"That makes sense," Liari said. It did - as long as Liari had known Purah, she had hated repetition and routine. That and... "...You got more than enough of that, being raised by Dame Rala, right?"

Purah snorted. "That old hag knew nothing _but_ routine. Every second of every day was exactly the same. One of the reasons I was so quick to ditch her for my apprenticeship."

"Who _did_ you apprentice under?" Liari asked curiously.

Purah hummed thoughtfully as she organized the papers on her chaotic desk. "I trained under two skilled scientists. The first was Doctor Karhi. She was actually not full Sheikah - kind of like you," Purah added factually. "Her grandfather was pure Hylian, and the cousin of the king in his time, fun fact. Anyway, Karhi was incredibly intelligent - knew everything from how the brain functions to how fabric is made.

Purah leaned back in her chair. "She got killed by the Yiga - they started targeting the scientists for info about six or seven years ago," she added as Liari's face morphed into one of confusion. "The murders only lasted around two years before the king gave scientists more protection. After that, they stopped pretty quickly."

Liari's face twisted into something between fear, pity, and disgust. "That's horrible," she said quietly.

Purah shrugged. "It is how it is. Probably easier up in the Sacred Realm than it is down here. They've got _heroes of legend_ and _goddesses_ \- we've got a bunch of idiots running around like cuccos with their heads chopped off."

Liari chuckled. "Surely there's a lot of idiots that got themselves killed doing idiotic things, right?"

"They didn't make it to the Sacred Realm," Purah said absently as she pulled down her goggles to examine a stray circuit. "Too dumb to even follow the giant glowing arrows that say 'Sacred Realm - This Way!'"

Liari laughed a bit at that one - ah, she could just imagine such a thing. But then she remembered something. "You said you trained under _two_ skilled scientists," Liari noted. "Who was the other one?"

Purah pushed her goggles up and looked up at the ceiling. She leaned back in her chair yet again, looking thoughtful.

"The other… that would be Doctor Yorin. He was a prodigy - started working on Sheikah Technology at six or seven, acknowledged as a full fledged scientist at age ten. I myself was considered a prodigy when I was acknowledged at sixteen, so that shows just how impressive that is. I went to him for a couple years before I officially graduated. Definitely a skilled mind if I ever knew one."

Liari frowned. The name sounded familiar… but she shrugged it off. She had probably heard about it from another scientist in passing, or read a research paper by him. Now that she really thought about it, she could remember reading the names Yorin _and_ Karhi - of course, Purah had probably trained under the best. The Sheikah scientist wouldn't have settled for anything _but_ the best - that's just how Purah was.

"Interesting," Liari said. "Did you ever train alongside any other apprentices?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Hmmm…" Purah stood up from her seat with a stack of papers in hand, all covered in her messy handwriting. She went to one of the file cabinets and dumped them carelessly inside. "A few," she replied absently. "They were only there for temporary apprenticeships - for the most part, they decided they were interested in other subjects after awhile and transferred to new mentors."

Purah walked back to her desk and plopped down into her chair. "Let's see… there was Robbie - he didn't switch subjects like the others, of course - just found a different person to apprentice under in Sheikah Technology. There was Akira… she became a poet, strangely enough. Then there was Vald. He decided to study architecture instead."

Purah continued speaking, saying something about an "Arduum" person, but Liari stopped listening. _Vald, huh?_ The Sheikah man that had asked her for information on the guardians… he, of course, gave lots of interesting information on a Zonai ruin and Arbiter's Grounds… he'd even shared some stories on the seven heroines, and his theories about a supposed eighth.

Now that Liari really thought about it… it was a bit suspicious that the incomplete circuits that had gone missing a few days earlier were connected to the information that Vald had first asked her about.

 _It's just a coincidence,_ Liari thought with a shake of her head. _I wouldn't be surprised if it was the kitten that got ahold of them._ It wouldn't be the first time the fluffy poof of a beast had gotten ahold of something it shouldn't have. _Or someone that really just snuck in and stole something that looked shiny._ The wires for those incomplete circuits _had_ been plated in gold… that, plus the copper and other minerals must've brought about some interest or sense of worth.

But maybe the next time that she saw Vald… she would be more careful with what information she gave him.

Then a spark, and an idea began to form in her mind.

"It's getting late, Purah," Liari said. "I think I'm going in for the night." After all, she had a master plan to put together. Because when gears began to turn, they weren't so quick to stop.

* * *

 _Two days later..._

"A building?!" Zelda squealed. " _Really?_ "

She didn't care if she was acting un-princessy or undignified. That didn't matter right now. Instead, she focused on the excitement she felt as she bounced up and down with Purah in the courtyard as they observed the guardians.

"I know, _right_?" Purah exclaimed. "Liari was _such_ a downer about it. So unenthusiastic! Almost made me want to go watch paint dry instead of listening to her emotionless drawl!"

"I'm right here," scoffed Liari.

"Did you hear that, Zellie?" Purah asked.

"Sounded like the wind to me," Zelda hummed. "After all, only an inanimate object or force such as that would be so blase about a momentous occasion."

Zelda felt something brush up against her ankle, and looked down to see a black ball of fluff rubbing itself against her leg, purring.

"Don't try and pick him up," Liari warned. "He'll claw your eyes out." The apprentice pointed at the cuts that marred her cheek.

"Atta girl, Liari!" Purah said, patting her apprentice on the back. "Finally accepted that the vicious beast isn't what it seems!"  
"No," Liari said with a smile. "Just that it doesn't like to be manhandled. How'd you like it if a hinox picked you up off the ground and tossed you around?"

"Wouldn't previous information on or encounters with a hinox make that a worse experience than the kitten's?" Zelda asked, chuckling. "We've grown up hearing stories about people getting viciously murdered by them."

Purah shrugged. "Well, considering that the foul beast was found abused and left for dead on the streets… it has more than enough reason to be distrustful."

Zelda hummed in agreement, before…

"Wait, what?!" both the princess and the apprentice exclaimed.

"You know the person I'm watching the cat for?" Purah asked. Both of them nodded. "He found it being chased down an alley by a dog - which had clearly been trained and commanded to do so. Kitten showed signs of abuse, and it was starved. The boy said that he chased the dog off and brought the kitten to his place in the ba- castle town," Purah corrected herself quickly, and Zelda silently noted the slip up.

"His job keeps him busy," the scientist continued, "and the people in his building wouldn't like it if they found out he had a cat. So I've been watching the cat for him."

"Well that explains a lot," Liari snorted. "That cat would be dead by now if your pride would let you go back on your word."

"Wait," Zelda said, scrunching up her forehead in thought. "Didn't Link pick up the kitten just fine?"

Liari stared at her with wide eyes. "He did, didn't he?"

"Ah, that's just Link for you," Purah said, drawing their attention back to her. "He and his mother always had the magic touch when it comes to animals, you know?"

 _His mother…_ Zelda felt her heart sink a bit. "Oh," the princess said quietly.

"So you found out about that, didn't you?" Liari asked with a small smile.

Zelda replied with a silent, somewhat shy nod - not unlike a young child caught red-handed.

"Yes, his mother died a few years ago," Liari explained sadly. "About… six years back, right Purah?"

Purah nodded, seeming a bit more… _subdued_ than usual.

"If I may ask…" Zelda paused. _Please don't let this come out awkwardly or something,_ she pleaded. It would be best not to ask in the first place, but she couldn't help her curiosity. "How did she die?"

Both Purah and Liari winced dramatically.

"Well…" Purah started, her normally cheery eyes dark before they were cast downward. The Sheikah scientist fell back into her chair. "...she was killed," she finally answered.

Zelda felt a numb sort of shock and horror. "What?" she breathed.

"Yeah…" Liari said quietly. "See, the Yiga-" (Zelda didn't miss the sharp glare Purah sent her apprentice, but Liari continued as if she hadn't noticed) "-had an unfortunate... _obsession_ with Link when he was younger. They chased after him for years to try and kidnap him or... something. On the first attempt, they managed to kill his father. Link was six or so."

Zelda quickly came to the conclusion that yes, she would've prefered not getting an answer. "...I think I'm going to go to my room," Zelda said a bit too quickly. "I have some notes to arrange, powers to pray about… the usual."

And the princess scurried out, the gears in her mind clicking into place, making the connections that she had suspected, but now had good solid evidence to back them up.

 _Link Equitem… or perhaps Link_ Lycanthryn?

* * *

 **Oh gosh, I can hear the squealing from here - my ears are ringing!**

 **I'm not super happy with how this chapter turned out (mostly the last scene). It's very dialogue heavy, very little on the scenery and such, a bit awkwardly written, all that fun stuff. I had a very strange two weeks, so I wrote this chapter without quite as much thought as usual. I also didn't do nearly as much editing as I'd have liked, so this chapter might become very different in the future (because I will be doing a mass edit of** _Before (The Rewrite)_ **eventually). BUT I FINISHED IT, IT'S NOT** _COMPLETE_ **CRAP, HALLELUJAH!**

 **Despite some of the bigger stuff that happened in this chapter, if you look really closely, you may find some hints about future events/stories/reveals. If you've read _Weapon_ , the name Yorin might mean something to you. If it doesn't... you haven't read _Weapon_ , and I suggest you do it! There's a lot of things I wanted to include in _Before (the much much better one that doesn't need to die a fiery death)_ that I don't think I will be able to fit in. LOTS AND LOTS, I SAY! NOW READ IT OR FIGHT ME (I'm kidding, you don't have to, don't kill me please)!**

 **WAIT I JUST REALIZED - September 25th was the 1st anniversary of _Before_! (Secret Review Phrase = celebration) And I didn't even _notice_! Because of that, I'm posting the new part of _Weapon_ a week earlier than I planned (I had wanted to get a bit ahead on the next part but... ARGHHHHH HOW COULD I FORGET?!)! To those of you that have been here since the very start, I just want to thank you for sticking around! I'm not sure I'd have the patience to do that for someone else. And for those of you that have joined the party farther down the road, thanks to you to! Your support (silent or otherwise ;) has meant a lot to me! And to those of you that are new - welcome to the chaotic train of _Before_! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! Maybe leave a review or two!**

 **All of you, have a wonderful two weeks! I wish you joy and happiness!**

 **Most Incredibly Sincerely (wait, what do those words mean again?),**

 **Ari~**


	35. Chapter 34: Courage

**notaname: It's alright. I am _not_ sorry that there's no school today though. YES, NO SCHOOL! Time to spend the day writing fan fiction and eating sugar! I KNOW, RIGHT? Homework on the weekend... at least it doesn't look like I'll be getting any for a while... yet. No one in their right mind would give homework on a three day weekend, because no one would actually get it done. Hey, much or no, giving a presentation takes a lot of guts! I remember one time I gave a speech because I was running for something (ASB secretary I think?) in 5th grade... I got so tongue tied that I lost to the one other person that ran. Ah, the memories. I have this image in my head of a Severus Snake now... I'M TOTALLY NOT LAUGHING REALLY HARD. That sounds pretty sweet though (don't worry, you're not annoying me - I'd be the biggest hypocrite if you were XD)! I remember this time when I jumped into a game of smash with a bunch of boys... I beat them every. Single. Time. And I was on random the whole time! I BEAT THEM WITH ISABELLE! AND BOWSER! AND... an assortment of other characters I rarely play as. They probably just sucked at smash, but hey, I'm not complaining. XD So... is your main Captain Falcon? Maybe Pit? Yeah, like I said, I'm bad at guessing. Well, I hope you're doing well! Have a great week(s)!**

 _ **Chapter 34: Courage**_

Liari made her way quietly into the library, being courteous as to not disturb those deep within their studies. In her arms were two large armfuls of books, borrowed by Purah and to be returned by herself.

The library of Hyrule Castle was large and ornate, known for being the largest in Hyrule (just short of the world, which was a title taken gladly by a library Labrynna), with the broadest range of categories. Researchers came to read the accounts and stories from all over the world. Though Hyrule was a bit of a more... _reclusive_ kingdom, it was powerful and renown for being the land of the goddesses. Everyone from the large Labrynna to the much smaller Termina knew that Hyrule was the place to go for research.

Liari made her way to the librarian's desk. She made it their without the elderly woman even looking up, but was met with a glare when the books hit the table.

"Doctor Purah's, I presume?" the librarian asked, sounding remarkably irritated.

Liari nodded. "Don't worry, she doesn't plan on returning for more until at _least_ next week because of a big project she's working on," the apprentice of Sheikah Technology replied cheerfully. "So that gives you… a week and a day without having to worry about her bringing more books in!"

"Lovely," the librarian said in a tone that suggested that she felt the opposite. Without another word, the woman turned her eyes back to the pile of documents in front of her, and Liari did not feel like bothering her any more.

"Ah, Miss Liari!" came a cheery voice.

Liari turned around, silently noting the fierce glare of the librarian out of the corner of her eye.

"Vald," Liari greeted with an exceptionally lesser amount of enthusiasm. "What brings you to the library?"

"Oh, same old, same old," Vald said dismissively. "Old buildings have documents hidden everywhere! You just have to know what section to look into, you know."

"Yeah," Liari said, doing her best to act civil. _Don't roll your eyes. Don't scoff at his idiotic-ness. Yes, that's definitely a word._

"Say," Vald began, changing the subject. "Would you happen to have any new information on the core of the guardians? I found it simply fascinating. Of course, I'd tell you about the theories behind Arbiter's Grounds history in exchange.

 _Theories in exchange for cold hard facts?_ But Liari had to get him to agree, to put her plan into motion. So… "Sure, why not?"

"Great!" Vald said enthusiastically. The librarian glared at him so fiercely that Liari wondered how Vald wasn't on fire. "Let's find a place to sit down then, shall we?"

And so they moved to a free table and opened up their books. Vald took the liberty of going first.

"Arbiter's Grounds is one of the most mysterious ruins we have in southern Hyrule, perhaps even all of it," Vald explained. "But during a survey to the Gerudo Region, I happened upon a very interesting myth regarding its origins. The Gerudo say that it was once used to torture and assasinate the worst of criminals. Despite the definition of the word 'Arbiter' being a person who settles a dispute - a judge of sorts - few of the 'criminals' were given a fair trial, if any."

"So the name was a sort of propaganda," Liari mused. "To make the place seem more fair than it was?"

Vald made a so-so gesture with his hand. "We can't exactly be sure," he said, sounding a bit disappointed. "It could've been common knowledge. But one of the most interesting things is that some of the most popular victims… were Sheikah."

If Liari had been drinking, say, water as Vald stated this, it would've been spat out spectacularly all over the Sheikah scholar's face. But alas, it was not so, so Liari sputtered a few incoherencies instead.

"Wha- that - _what_?" she managed.

"It turns out that Ancient Hyrule was quite racist," Vald said. "Sheikah were not the only ones - Gerudo were even more vulnerable because their king was supposedly an incarnation of Calamity Ganon. Few were actually accused of anything criminal - they were innocent of everything beside their heritage."

"That's awful…" Liari mumbled.

"Yes, well," Vald said, clearing his throat. "People were awfully racist towards the Sheikah a mere 10,000 years ago - isolated them because they feared what they could do with their technology. That's how the Yiga Clan came to be, actually - they felt betrayed and abandoned, what with the Sheikah's close ties to the Royal Family - which actually began long before Arbiter's Grounds were even _constructed_. That only makes those events seem much worse," Vald mused.

Liari sighed. "Well, every nation has its dark history. It can't _all_ be fairy tales about heroes and princesses."

"But as they say, today is the history of tomorrow." Vald's face twisted darkly. "You never know what could happen. People are flawed creatures. They're distrustful, critical, and spontaneous - you never know what may happen."

Liari kept her outer persona cool and calm, while the inside was full of questions and dutifully suppressing a shudder.

"I suppose that is true," Liari said calmly. "No person is perfect - to strive for perfection is to strive for the ability for pigs to fly."

"That would be true if we didn't have access to magic and technology," Vald admitted. "But I assure you that we come closer to flying pigs every day."

Liari laughed, making it sound convincing. "I don't doubt it. Now then, how about I tell you about the new weapon unit we found in the guardians?"

Vald perked interestedly the moment the words left her mouth. "A new weapon?" he asked.

Liari nodded. "It's even more _powerful_ than the guardians' lasers."

"How so?" Vald asked, intrigued.

"Classified information," Liari said with a shake of her head. "If I told you, I would lose my position at _best_." Then she leaned in conspiratorially. The next words were uttered in a low voice. "Unless, of course, you swear not to say a word."

"Are you sure you should be telling me this?" Vald asked. There was something artificial about the hesitancy in his voice - one that Liari could mistake for veiled excitement.

Liari shrugged. "So long as you don't tell anyone… besides, I'm sure Purah will accidentally shout it to the rooftops within two weeks tops."

Vald said nothing, instead straightening and looking at her intently, a curious glimmer in his eyes.

"So this weapon…" Liari trailed off for the sake of drama. "...It _drains life._ " Vald bolted upright in his posture, which had slowly relaxed during her pause. "Then it uses the life force to provide energy an incredibly powerful bomb. We haven't been able to test it properly, of course, but using a little bit of energy from some grass was strong enough to rival the power of the laser alone."

"Incredible," Vald whispered.

Liari nodded. "Yeah. We're still trying to figure out the circuitry, but it's a much larger system than even the cores of the guardians! We can barely manage to fit it inside - we've found that laying it on the inside of the guardians' legs is the best place to put it - easier to grab onto the energy source and drain it, you know?"

Vald nodded quickly. "Incredible!" he repeated. "So it recycles the energy of those it drains to create a powerful explosion… but how does it convert the energy?"

Liari shrugged. "We're not sure yet. We're still looking into it - it's still very new, and _top secret_. Not a single word about this, got it? No need to cause a panic."

Vald nodded. "Of course not."

On the outside, Liari was serious and austere. On the inside, however, she was grinning an evil grin even Purah would be proud of.

 _The plan's coming together._

* * *

Link wrapped his bloodied and bruised arms, allowing himself to wince in the safety of his room in the barracks.

" _What do you mean, 'you were ambushed?'"_

" _Exactly as I wrote in the report, Sir."_

" _So you risked the life of the princess - all because you failed to realize you were in a sector highly susceptible to regular attacks?"_

" _I was not made aware of the reports-"_

" _Aware or not, that does not change the fact that_ your _ignorance could have deprived this kingdom of its heir and future savior. You practically have the blood of the goddess on your hands!"_

 _This will take awhile to recover from completely,_ Link thought. He had gotten off easier though - a few cuts, a few bruises - no broken ribs this time around. He could still perform his duties just fine - they would merely be a… discomfort.

"Rrrrow?"

Link looked to his feet to see amber eyes blinking up at him. The feline had sat beside his feet, and looked to him with what appeared to be a question of consent.

"Come on up, Courage," Link murmured, patting his lap. The kitten gladly pounced up on the bed, curling itself against his leg.

Absently, Link scratched the cat's fluffy head. He rarely called Courage by his name, usually opting for 'Kitten' instead. Kitten was simpler, easier to explain. The origin of Courage's real name, however, was a bit more complex.

Courage was the power to stand for your beliefs. It was the ability to face against all odds. It was the strength and will to _survive_ for not only yourself, but for those around you. And when he saw the kitten's attack on the dog, albeit weak, he saw those traits. When he looked into the feline's pained eyes for the first time, he saw a fiery courage and strength burn within.

Link smiled at the cat, placing his hand on its head. "You really shouldn't have survived that. But you did."

Courage purred and leaned its head into his hand.

Link looked at the wall across from the bed. "People really could learn a lot from animals if they tried," he mused. It was true, after all. People could be selfish creatures - more interested in their own safety and well-being than that of others. But animals had a strong instinct to protect their young, and those of their pack. Cats were one of the few that didn't usually fit into that category, but Courage had managed to prove him wrong time and time again.

 _Selfless little thing,_ Link thought. Here the cat was, comforting selfish old Link. "I deserved that punishment," Link said with a nod of his head. "This is the price for ignorance. I know it is. But…" Link trailed off. "The captain gets mad at me when I try to research, doesn't he? Isn't that contradicting himself?"

Link shook his head. No, he was merely overthinking things, as always. The captain was a clever man, experienced and hardened in the ways of war. He knew how the world worked, knew how best to teach.

...But if Link didn't know any better, it would seem like the captain was setting him up for failure.

 _Ridiculous,_ Link thought, tying off the last of the bandages. He carelessly tossed the remaining wrappings off to the side and plopped onto his back. His eyelids felt like they were being pulled down by heavy weights, so he gave in, drifting off to sleep. The companion that curled at his side was as loyal as it was fluffy.

* * *

 **Hmm... looks like Link is starting to question things. And Liari's got something evil planned. I hope it includes explosions! ;)**

 **When I was reading through for errors, this chapter seemed very short. But I know that it's seven pages long, which is longer than at _least_ three other chapters? What the heck? Is it because it's a very dialogue heavy chapter? I DON'T UNDERSTAND!**

 **Moving along... until yesterday I did not have more than three or four pages of this done. What was I doing for two weeks? I definitely wasn't studying or doing homework... I'm just a procrastinator, I guess. I'm just not feeling super motivated at the moment... and I need to put some filler in between this and the next memory... so if you've got anything you want to see, any interactions you'd be interested in, feel free to suggest something! I know where I'm going with this story (mostly), I'm just running low on the ideas for in betweens.**

 **To those of you that are enjoying Veteran's Day with me in the USA, happy Veteran's Day! Because of this, I do not have school, so now... I shall go write fan fiction.**

 **REVIEW, PLZ!**

 **"Sincerely" (what do you mean, I put quotes around that?),**

 **Ari~**


	36. Chapter 35: Dogged Determination

**notaname: It's a wonderful way to spend your time, I'll have you know! Totally, one hundred percent healthy! My week's been alright... the usual chaos that is life, all that fun stuff, but I'm not dead and the chapter's done, so it's all good! Building a PC? That's... pretty sweet. I can't make heads or tails of wiring and robotics and circuitry... and whatnot. I just write stories and play video games XD. Maybe I should look into learning about it sometime! OH MY GOSH, SEVERUS SNAKE IS REAL! XD You learn something new every day! That's kind of what I do with the randoms too... I also like it when I find one good move that kicks butt, and then I spam it. That time was a few years ago, but I used to play smash all the time with my siblings and cousins all the time... it was always me and one of my cousins that won (unless we had x2 launch rate on - my brother likes using Dark Pit when we do that, because the side-B legitimately autokills and causes destruction and madness and PAINFUL, AGONIZING DEATH). I might be a bit rusty now, but it might be fun! OH, is it... I think Little Mac, right? I'm glad you're doing well, and I hope you continue doing so!**

 **Guest (who is curious): I hope the curious-ness is a good thing XD. You should always, ALWAYS doubt my sincerity... I mean, it's probably legit, but you never know... you know?**

 **Guest ("no chapters left?"): IT IS WITH DEEPEST PRIDE AND GREATEST PLEASURE THAT I PRESENT... YOUR CHAPTER! (and more to come! XD)**

 **That's all for guest reviews. ROLL THE TAPE! ...or whatever. I need more creative things to put here...**

 _ **Chapter 35: Dogged Determination**_

" _Link Equitem. Enlisted as a squire at age eleven. Top of his class - quickly advanced through training."_

Zelda skimmed through the rest of the squire records. " _Often picked on by other squires. Failure to fight back. Lack of aggression is somewhat worrying, but can be fixed with some disciplinary measures."_

 _They're talking about him like some sort of dog,_ Zelda realized. Disciplinary measures? What did that look like for squires? Sitting in the corner for a few minutes to think about their actions?

Zelda doubted it.

" _...Three good ones with the belt for every failed response,"_ said one form. " _Make them hard."_

 _Definitely not sitting in a corner,_ Zelda thought with a shiver. Now, in her mind's eye, she could see a younger Link crying out in pain as a belt met his back.

It seemed like a harsh punishment for something so small as a "lack of aggression," as they'd so simply put it. Was that how they trained their squires? Mere _children_ , beaten for the sake of _training_? Like some sort of _animals_?

Zelda added "Reevaluate squire training" to the list of things that would be done when she became queen.

She picked up the squire forms and papers and set them aside, moving on to the stack of papers on Link's knight years. It was… much taller. So she started at the very first - the certificate that recorded the name, date, etc of a knighting.

It didn't take long to find something interesting.

" _Link Equitem, age twelve, is hereby declared a knight of the kingdom of-"_

"What?!" Zelda screeched, the previously neat and tidy stack of papers flying of the desk, scattering.

It took her a few moments to really process it. _Accepted as a squire at eleven… knighted at age twelve…_ that _had_ to be a record. _Is that even allowed?_

She doubted there were any laws against it, even though there probably there should be. Who on earth would allow a twelve year old to be _knighted_?

Sheepishly, Zelda gathered up her papers and reorganized them, setting the knighting form aside and quickly moving onto the earliest mission report to Link's name... dated a mere two weeks after his knighting.

" _Mission to Tabantha Village to investigate suspected Yiga Clan activity. Most of the mission is centered around Sheikah Scientist Doctor Yorin, who we believe is being spied on by the Yiga. Knights sent: Sir Leon Hendrick (Leading the investigation), Sir Ross Zago, Sir Alphoso Oren, Sir Link Equitem."_

 _Doctor Yorin,_ Zelda thought. She wasn't familiar with the name. She'd have to check it out later.

She skimmed through the rest of the documents that had verified and approved the mission. Yes, the time expected and route traveled was good and all, but not particularly important to her task. The _reports_ were what she needed.

She spent a long while reading through Link's missions, slowly becoming more and more shocked. They had sent him on the most top secret missions, the most sensitive of assignments, and there was not a single one on his record that he had failed. The stack for his first year as a knight _alone_ was packed with information.

Yet despite the 100 percent success rate of his missions, Zelda repeatedly came across forms for disciplinary action. Hardly ever were there so many forms - most captains and commanders didn't even _use_ the forms for knights - they only had to use them when the knight punished was injured too severely for duty.

Then she came across one of the forms dated all too recently… it took a moment for it to click in her mind, but it clicked nonetheless.

"That's the day I found him injured," Zelda realized. It was the very same day she'd found him training, beaten and bloodied.

" _Reasoning: Unproductive use of time. Inattentiveness in duties. Endangering the life of the princess."_

"What?" Zelda furrowed her brow. Never, not even once, had Link endangered her life. Nor had he ever been inattentive in his duties! Now that she thought about it, she had given him time _off_ at the time. He wasn't even on _duty._

 _Just what is going on here?_

The foreboding air of this mystery was like a heavy weight in her mind. And with all of the information connecting, all the small facts coming together...

...well, it seemed that she would not be going to sleep that night.

* * *

The sky was dark, stars the only light by which one could see the courtyard. If you looked close, and quite a bit so, you could see the glimmering of the glowing white specks reflected on the hull of large, monstrous guardians.

The courtyard had never needed high security, you see. While most places housing important artifacts and treasures were crawling with knights, the courtyard of the guardians was still except for a single lone guard. That was all it needed, if that. The guardians were feared creations, regarded as the embodiments of death and destruction on six spindly legs.

The guard knew this, of course. Not a soul in Hyrule had not heard of the guardians, nor been told tales of their great power. Not a man, woman, or child didn't know of the strength a single beam could be. That was why the courtyard was usually safe from thieves; a valley of death was not one many dared to enter.

No, the guard was mostly there to ensure that the guardians did not escape. Though it was easily the simplest job a soldier could have, the one with the least likelihood of risk, it was well known for being the least favorite. No one wanted to spend a night in a cage with the guardians.

But unfortunately for the guard, he had drawn the short stick. It was his night to patrol the dark, dusty paths of the large courtyard, his alone to feel the eyes of the mechanical beasts on his back. And though logic said that it was safe, that all of the guardians were deactivated, his mind feared that one would malfunction, and screamed at him to run for his life.

So he did his duty diligently. He was a soldier of Hyrule! Not of high rank, of course, but a soldier indeed. He had honor, and he was loyal to his kingdom. So if he had to prove that loyalty by walking these nightmarish paths all night, so be it.

He had been so focused on the guardians, however, that he hadn't realized something foreign was in the courtyard until he heard something thump behind him.

Most would've screamed and panicked, fled in terror, but the guard's training kicked in. He whirled around on his heal, positioning his spear in a position for attack. While he may have been panicking on the inside, he skillfully made his face cold as stone.

"Well, well, well…" said the figure, carelessly spinning a glistening sickle in their hands. "Looks like there's a guard dog here after all… pity."

"What are you doing here?" the guard snarled.

The figure took a step forward, the spinning sickle coming to a pause in their hands. "I'm just here to take back what is rightfully mine, that's all. But you… you're just a pet, aren't you? Doggedly following orders, no matter how pointless they may seem… to the common folk, anyway." The figure chuckled.

"Leave now," the guard growled. "You're surrounded on all sides by hundreds of soldiers. How did you get in?"

"Who's to say I wasn't already, as you so eloquently put it, ' _in'?_ " The smirk was clear in the infiltrator's voice. "Perhaps someone helped me in - it could've even been you, without even knowing it."

 _That's enough_ , thought the guard. So he shot forward, spear raised for a strike, and-

-froze as a sickle met his flesh.

"I was _planning_ on letting you live if you behaved," sighed the infiltrator. "But it seems that luck is not on my side tonight." The dark figure yanked the steel from the guard's gut, crimson immediately gushing forth. "I _am_ lucky they sent one of their lesser guard dogs… I couldn't have disposed of a Royal Guard or knight nearly as easily."

The guard fell to the ground, and the infiltrator kicked him while he was down - in the literal sense of the phrase.

The infiltrator smiled as he watched blood drip from the guard's mouth. "Not a traditional kill, of course, but it will have to do. We can't have you knowing I was here, yes?"

A gurgle was their only response. The infiltrator leaned in towards the guard's face, smirking fiercely behind his mask.

"You're…" The guard coughed fiercely, scattering crimson droplets. "...Yiga," he breathed.

"So you aren't _completely_ stupid after all!" cheered the infiltrator, rapping his knuckles on the red symbol on his mask. "Well, I suppose I'll let you live a little while longer - I assure you, with the toxins I put on the sickle, it will not be long enough for you to report this."

The Yiga continued down the path, leaving the guard gasping for breath, choking on his own blood.

"Now, where are you, super weapon?" the Yiga murmured. "I know you're here somewhere..."

* * *

 **Oooh, spooky banana ninjas... I always thought they seemed much less intimidating in the game than they should have been. A cult that worships the Calamity? Originating from the Sheikah? The game mostly uses them as comic relief, and as hilarious as they were, I thought it was a bit strange. Shouldn't they be all powerful, with the worshipping the Calamity and whatnot? Why aren't they** _ruling_ **Hyrule? I supposed the Calamity** **was trapped and all that, so I could let that part slide. But to be so... well,** _them_ **... Master Kohga himself is a good example of the Yiga. Hilarious, but not really a huge threat. I like to think that before the Calamity, they were a much more organized group, more _fearsome_. After, however, they got caught up in the victory. Time changed their group and made them what they are in BoTW. Just an idea, and there's a lot of arguments that could be made, but I like it.**

 **I'm not super proud of this chapter. For one, it's much shorter (six pages, while the average is 7-8.. so not much shorter, but still shorter). Also, the first half of the chapter doesn't have nearly as much effort put into it (and is much shorter that it probably could be)... I just wasn't super motivated as I wrote it, and it could probably do with some major editing. I'll add that to the growing list of chapters that need extra TLC. If you catch anything, or have any recommendations to improve things like grammar, flow, etc, feel free!**

 **REVIEW, PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU!**

 **I think that's all. I hope you all have a wonderful next two weeks (and for my fellow Americans in the USA, a happy Thanksgiving)! Wear your seatbelts~**

 **Most Incredibly and One Hundred Percent Sincerely, I Assure You,**

 **Ari~**


	37. Chapter 36: Birthdays and Breaches

_notantame_ **: Hello! I mean, you can change your name if you want to! When I was still a guest user on the site, I always named myself very uncreative things such as A Person or A Weird Person, and none of them were really that consistent. I never really had a set name. It's really up to you! My two weeks have been going good! I GOT A DOG! Well, he's the family's dog, but HE'S ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE AND I LOVE HIM. That's the biggest highlight of the last two weeks for me! Building PCs... it does sound simple, but it's probably harder than it seems. My brother built a "Raspberry pi" with my dad and he can play all of these older games on it. All the old Zeldas, Marios, etc. If I manage to get my hands on the materials to build a PC, I'll have them to help me XD. Honestly, though! There's probably a fanfic out there where Snape gets turned into a snake and they make that pun. Honing skills with every smash character CAN be helpful, because sometimes there are characters more effective against different opponents. One example is if I was fighting, say, Ganondorf. He's slow, so a faster character like Sheik or Greninja would have the advantage. But that's just me! The only reason I started branching out is because I got worse with Link when Smash Ultimate came out (I suspect that they made his attacks do less damage, therefore ruining what I was used to). I... still have no idea what your main is. The only characters I can think of that use numbers are Little Mac and... Mr. Game and Watch. But I think I already guessed both of those. I hope you have a great next few weeks! :D**

 **_Guest_ : Aw, thank you for the pity review! Oh wow, that's... pretty late. I think that translates to 10 pm, but I could be wrong. If you're tired, you don't have to stay up to give me a pity review! That makes me feel bad, because I've run on days with only a few hours of sleep before and I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy...**

 ** _Hospitaller1080_ : Yes. Yes he is XD**

 **That's all of the guest reviews! Now onto the chapter! :D**

 _ **Chapter 36: Birthdays and Breaches**_

The courtyard was a devastated scene of destruction, like a ruin of death and slaughter. Dark patches of burnt ground were scattered along the ground, guardian legs strewn with wires still poking from where they were ripped viciously from the guardians.

"Quite the disaster," mumbled one of the knights investigating the crime scene. "It's almost as bad as when my three-year-old got ahold of the paint."

"What do you mean, ' _You don't know who did it_?!'" came a loud, angry cry from the other side of the courtyard.

"We're sorry, Doctor Purah," said the knight she was scolding. "The only clues we have are the dead body of the guard, whom we have yet to identify. By the looks of the wound, there was some kind of poison-"

"Wait wait wait," Purah said, backing it up. "What does the wound appear to be from?"

"It's hard to tell," the knight said firmly. "The guard was split open in the gut - clean, straight line, so we believe it was a rounded weapon."

"And the poison?"

"What _about_ the poison?" the knight questioned.

Purah squawked indignantly. "You mean to tell me that you suspect poison, but you didn't even _bother_ to extract it - or get a blood sample from the corpse - so that we can _run tests on it_?"

"And how would that be beneficial?"

"In every way!" Purah cried. "With a sample, we can identify what kind of poison it is, where it originates, and in the process, get evidence to _locate the culprit!_ "

The knight opened his mouth, before closing it. This repeated several times.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Purah growled. The knight jumped. "GO GET THAT SAMPLE, OR SO HELP ME, I'LL FIND A WORKING GUARDIAN AND BLAST YOUR STUPID BUTT TO THE SACRED REALM!"

"Y-yes, Doctor Purah." The previously dignified knight quickly shuffled away.

"AND DON'T YOU DARE CONTAMINATE IT!" Purah screeched after him. She sighed, then shook her head. "Knights these days," Purah mumbled. "Can't even conduct a proper investigation..." Of course, Link could do so just fine - quick on his feet _and_ in mind, whether he believed it or not. But the rest of those lousy idiots… not so much.

"What are the possible suspects?" Purah snapped at the next closest knight.

"Yiga involvement is suspected," the knight said quickly. "But only because of how well the cover-up was done. The wound is suspected to be from a sickle."

"Yiga," Purah growled. "But what could they possibly want with my beautiful guardians?!"

"We aren't sure, Doctor Purah," the knight replied. "All we know is that the only damage that was done was to the legs of the guardians - they were either ripped out or ripped out before being carelessly shoved back into their sockets."

"Perhaps sabotage?" Purah mused. The guardians _were_ dangerous weapons. Though it was clear they put up a fight with the culprit, what with the burns that littered the ground, they would've been easier to destroy without their limbs. But there was no damage done to the guardians _besides_ the limbs.

"Without functional limbs, it _would_ be much harder for the transportation of the guardians," Purah thought aloud. "Less useful, all that. But why not destroy the central processing units instead of the legs? If they managed the legs with the time they had…"

"Purah?" came a confused voice. Purah whirled around to see her apprentice, Liari, eyes still glassy with sleep. "Wha's going on?"

"Some idiot snuck into the courtyard last night," Purah grumbled, beginning her quick summary. "They murdered the guard, and you can clearly see what they did to the guardians. TORN OFF LEGS! What in Hylia's name would possess someone to do such a thing?" Purah ranted.

Liari blinked her sleepy red eyes. "Just the legs, you say?"

Purah nodded. "Yup. Any ideas for suspects?"

Liari blinked again, clearing her sleepiness and suddenly appearing quite alert. "Just… the legs…?" she murmured.

Then the young apprentice grinned evilly - the same evil grin Purah often saw in the mirror. "Purah, I think I have a lead," Liari said mischievously.

* * *

Link quickly stepped aside as he heard footsteps from the other side of the door. It wasn't a moment too soon, for milliseconds later the door was slammed open.

A still bed/sleep-disheveled princess (despite the fact that it was almost noon) came out of the door, carrying a form.

"Link," she said in a somewhat stern voice, like that of a parent scolding a misbehaving child. "Is there anything you've forgotten to tell me about today?"

Link merely blinked at her in confusion. _What's this about today?_ He couldn't _recall_ anything special… was there some sort of meeting that the princess had to go to that he was supposed to know about?

The princess shoved the form towards his face, forcing him to read it.

" _Surname: Equitem; Given Name(s): Link; Age: 11…_ "

Link frowned. It was his enlistment form, from when he had signed up to become a squire. "Are you sure this is the paper I should be looking at, Your Highness?"

The princess groaned and, with a very exaggerated roll of her eyes, she stabbed a point on the paper with her finger. "Can you tell me what this date here means?"

Oh. _Oh._ "I must've forgotten," Link said, sounding somewhat surprised.

"You mean to tell me," Princess Zelda said very slowly and very deliberately, "that you _forgot_ about your _birthday?_ "

"I haven't celebrated it in years, Princess," Link said a bit awkwardly. _More specifically, since I was eleven._

"Well then that ought to change, shouldn't it?" Zelda seemed quite unwilling to take no for an answer. Before Link could realize what was happening, the princess grabbed his arm and dragged him away from her room.

"Where are we going?" he asked quickly.

"To Castle Town, of course!" Zelda exclaimed, her green eyes shining with excitement. "There must be at least _something_ I can get you, and where better than the largest marketplace in the kingdom?"

This was all so sudden that Link wasn't quite sure what was happening anymore. They were going to Castle Town? Because it was his birthday? The princess wanted to get him a present?

 _What in the world is going on right now?_ Was this some sort of strange dream because of some strange foreign spice in his food the night before? Or was he just going insane?  
" _Your sanity is at a total of 86 percent, which is approximately 16 percent above average,"_ came a certain magical sword's voice. " _Might I suggest she merely wants to do something kind towards you?"_

 _And why would she want to do that?_ Link thought grumpily. He barely knew the princess, besides the fact that her favorite color was a clear sky blue, her favorite food was fruit cake, she always tilted her head the slightest bit to the right while she was reading something she was interested in, she…

Okay, maybe he knew her a bit better than _barely_ , but hardly more than that. And it wasn't like she cared for him any more than any other knight. Sure, she was being nicer recently (Hylia knew why), but she was still just as formal as always.

 _Well,_ he thought silently, _until now._

" _Has she not acted in this way before?"_ Fi questioned. Somehow Link could sense that she knew the answer - she was merely prompting him to reach the answer on his own.

 _Perhaps,_ he replied as the princess dragged him out of the castle and into the town. _Perhaps…_

Maybe she cared about him more than he thought?

"I heard a bakery opened up recently on the edge of town," Zelda explained excitedly as she led him through the streets, ignoring the stares of passersby with ease. "I'm told that they have the most _delicious_ bread in Hyrule, but I think I want to test the rumors for myself. If it doesn't meet your expectations, oh great and honorable Sir Link, we can always check another one," she said with a cheeky grin.

"A-As you wish, Princess," he replied quickly, barely managing to keep emotion out of his voice.

The princess in question scoffed. "As 'I' wish? It's not my birthday, it's yours!" She released his arm, which he hadn't realized she'd still been holding, and turned towards him to look at him with those shimmering green eyes. "Is there anything _you_ want to do?"

That one question made Link freeze both physically and mentally. Once his mind had thawed enough, he managed to process her words.

 _She asked_ me _what_ I _want to do,_ he thought, confused. _My opinion isn't supposed to matter. I'm a knight and a tool. Why would what I want to do matter to her?_

 _Because_ you _matter to her,_ replied a small voice. For once, it was not the voice of the sword, which merely remained a gentle hum in the back of his mind, a foreign feeling of pride and accomplishment accompanying it.

"Link," said Zelda, waving her hand in front of his face, appearing somewhat concerned. "Are you going to answer me?"

"I…" Link shook off the tumult of contradicting, chaotic thoughts in his mind. For once, he decided, he would listen to the smaller voice.

Link smiled. "The bakery sounds great, Princess."

For a moment, the princess gave him a strange look. But then she too smiled. "Then off we go! If you're worried about money, don't bother - there are _some_ pluses to being a princess, you know."

They started to continue forward again, but once again the princess stopped to turn and look at him.

Link merely tilted his head as a silent question; _What is it?_

Zelda straightened her shoulders in her most formal stance. "I would like to request that you walk beside me - for today, at the very least. Today we are equals, you hear me?"

Link smiled. "Yes, Princess," he replied.

So they continued on side by side, and Link realized that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as alone as he thought.

* * *

 **Oh, my precious Lonkles (that's totally a thing people call him now. Except it isn't, but that's not important). Looks like he's finally starting to see the light! Also, Fi makes an appearance for the first time in a while... I TOTALLY didn't forget that she exists, because that would be RIDICULOUS! *laughs nervously* ANYWAY, Purah is taking charge. Purah is scary. I've noticed that the guards in Zelda games are often, for lack of a better word, very stupid. I also find it incredibly hilarious to imagine the short scientist that is Purah bossing them around. I love Purah, okay? She's the best! MOVING ALONG...**

 **Hello, everyone! A merry December 9th to y'all (though I'm writing this on the eighth, and many of you may be reading this later than that... FIGHT ME)! I have accepted the fact that I use the word "y'all" when writing, finally! ...I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing.**

 **The last couple weeks have been pretty busy, but I've mostly been procrastinating. Hooray! Between Thanksgiving, birthdays (mine was today/yesterday (the 8th) and that made me in a mood for birthday things, hence the second half of the chapter), and getting a dog (OH MY GOSH, HE'S SO FREAKING ADORABLE, HE'S MY NEW BEST FRIEND, ANYONE WHO SAYS HE ISN'T CUTE HAS NO SOUL!), and homework, I've been pretty busy. I think I already said that, but WHATEVER. So that, plus lack of motivation/procrastination has slowed down the writing a bit.**

 **Despite the writing being slower over the last couple weeks, I really like this chapter. Purah being Purah, scheming, Zelda doing nice things for Link, and Link realizing he's not actually stupid and stuff. Everything I like! But don't worry, more Link torture is to come, because I may or may not like that too!**

 **I think that's everything! Before I go, I'd like to sincerely (there is no reason to question my sincerity, I assure you) thank all of you for reviewing! You are all so kind and supportive, and it really helps with filling up my cup o' motivation juice. And (I'm not sure why I'm writing this part) I'd like to say that your reviews help me in more ways than writing. Whenever I have an especially rough day and feel like the lowest of the low, I turn to the reviews on here. Every review makes me smile even when I'm sad, and they always manage to lift me out of my misery. So... thank you. As always, I would like to encourage you to review! Criticism of any shape or form is 100 percent welcome!**

 **I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Wear your seatbelt - we don't want you to fly through the windshield, because that would suck.**

 **Most sincerely,**

 **Ari~**


	38. Chapter 37: Crime and Punishment

**_Apple_ : You're absolutely welcome! I'm so glad that you've enjoyed the story so far! I'm very sorry that you have to wait an extra week... if I could get this done faster, then I totally would. I would write the whole story in like, a week or something if I could! Tale of Two Rulers, huh? That's definitely a good one! I remember that line... definitely hit me. I totally get that feeling! It can be hard to find a good fanfic... oh, some can be SO BAD (no offense to the people that write them, of course). ****This story has been pretty high on my priority list for about a year and a half now, so I've put a lot of work into it.** **I'm so happy that you like it! :D**

 ** _Guest (Chapter 8~ if you ever read this, here you go! Sorry I can't reply somewhere I'll be sure you'll see it...)_ : Oh man, I forgot how bratty Zelda was in the earlier chapters. I definitely understand your anger, but I'm afraid that's just being realistic. If we saw nothing besides Zelda's side of the story, then it would easily make us dislike Link. People are opinionated creatures, and it takes a lot of work for someone to look beyond their own struggles and see other people's stories. To Zelda, Link may not seem blatantly stiff-necked or prideful, as Zelda often describes him, but she sees him as perfect. He seems to get everything right the first time. He was basically handed the Master Sword, while she remains struggling to find her powers that she's been working towards her entire life. It wouldn't be hard to resent him for that, to be honest.**

 ** _Guest (Chapter 38)_ : Oh no, the horrors of a normal sleep schedule! But the pocket knife makes it totally worth it XD. Jokes aside, thank you! What with winter break, life has been much less chaotic. But you never know what could happen... life is often like a horror movie, what with jump scares happen when you least expect them.**

 **I hope you all had a wonderful week, and a wonderful Christmas/whatever you celebrate! Now, on with the story!**

 _ **Chapter 37: Crime and Punishment**_

Liari leaned back impatiently in her chair, the creak echoing in the dungeon room. It was dark, it was damp, it was gloomy… the list went on and on.

 _But it will be worth it,_ she told herself. Because she had finally found a way to prove herself. No longer would she be treated like a foolish child…

The guards opened the wooden door and carelessly tossed a figure into the chair opposite herself, Purah, and the knights. After the figure was secured with rope, a guard shook it awake.

"H-huh, what?" the figure gasped out, awakening with a snort.

"Lord Vald of Kakariko," said the interrogating knight slyly. "I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, but I'm not a liar."

"What am I doing here?" the man asked, eyes nervously flitting about the room.

"You are a prime suspect for involvement in the destruction of Sheikah technology," explained the knight firmly. "Every word you speak in this room must be the whole truth, and we _will_ know if you lie.

Cuffs of Sheikah technology were slammed onto Vald's wrists, glowing a sickly green in the half-light of the dungeons.

Vald gaped at them. "I- _wha-_ I don't know what you're talking about!"

The cuffs immediately flashed a vibrant crimson and Vald jolted backward, wincing sharply.

"Now Vald," Liari said, putting her best sinister smile on. "Didn't I tell you, oh, a few days ago or so, that there was a deadly weapon prototype whose circuits lay mainly in the legs?"

"Yes," Vald said firmly, as if not seeing the point. "You made me promise not to tell anyone."

Liari nodded a bit smugly. "Yes. But did you break that promise?"

"N-no," he said quickly, only to be jolted yet again as the cuffs glowed red. "Okay, yes, yes!"

"And who did you tell?" the knight demanded.

"They made me," he murmured feverishly. "I had no choice!"

Liari frowned inwardly as the cuffs didn't glow crimson. _Not lying, huh?_ "Who?" demanded the knight.

"H-he never told me his name!" Bright red flared from the cuffs and Vald threw his head back with a sharp cry.

"Who was it?" the knight questioned forcefully.

Vald remained silent, shivering slightly.

"Tell us who," the knight said, his voice a growl from deep within his throat.

"He'll _kill_ me," he breathed.

"And you think we won't do the same?" the knight snapped, Vald flinching harshly.

"Koru!" he blurted. "I'm not sure if that was his real name, it was all he told me, but he said his name was Koru, and that he was a member of the Yiga Clan!"

"Koru, eh?" the knight murmured. He gave the other knight in the room a pointed look. "Everything was recorded, yes?"

The other knight lifted a notepad. "Every word, Sir."

"Good." The knight in charge turned towards Liari. "Is there anything other false information you fed him?" he asked.

Liari shook her head. "No, Sir. That was all."

The knight nodded in approval. "Well done, Miss Liari. Though it caused damage to the guardians, which was somewhat reckless of you, we did manage to get useful information out of this. You are dismissed."

So Liari and Purah left the dungeons, only for Liari to immediately be met with Purah's angry glare. "What in Hylia's name were you thinking?" she hissed.

"What do you mean?" Liari growled right back. "I solved the mystery of the missing lab equipment! I found a traitor and got us a name! What's wrong with that?"

"You were reckless!" Purah shot back, her voice echoing loudly in the dungeons, her furious red eyes glowing in the firelight. "You caused the destruction of 67 percent of our guardians' legs, you fed information, false or not, to a possible _thief,_ and now you act as if you've saved the universe!"

"Well I'm _sorry,_ " Liari snarled in a voice that suggested the opposite. "I wasn't aware that solving problems was illegal!"

"Solving problems?" Purah scoffed. "Solving the problem would've been reporting suspicious behavior to the knights. Most of them may be incompetent idiots running around like chickens without their heads, but the ones in charge know what they're doing! Instead, you decided to be overconfident and cocky and take everything into your own hands?"

"So what?" Liari retorted.

"You caused a mess that could've been avoided," Purah growled. "Not only that, but you risked your _life._ Do you have any idea what the Yiga will do to you if they find out about this?"

"Well, it's what Link would've done!" Liari countered sharply, to which Purah replied with a shocked expression. "I'm sorry that I'm not your perfect hero, your absolutely amazing Hylian Champion that you think of as a younger brother, and I'm just not as selfless and brave and clever as he is!"

"Liari-"

"But then the one time I try to act like he would, coming up with a reckless, effective plan just like he would, you get mad at me!"

With a huff, Liari turned away from Purah and stomped off, an angry huffing cloud of teenage angst.

"Liari, wait!" Liari heard Purah cry after her. But Liari didn't listen. If Purah wouldn't appreciate her efforts, maybe someone else would.

* * *

It was a beautiful day in the library, the beams of golden sunlight filtering through the colorful stained glass windows, illuminating trails of dust in the air. It was relatively quiet and peaceful, only a rare few people making use of the sanctuary of knowledge. Some sat at tables, pouring over their old tomes, while others were huddled together, quietly discussing topics beyond the average person's understanding.

Zelda frowned at her book. It wasn't because of what was in the book. No, the book was fine - interesting, and full of facts on the unique properties of rare minerals. But at the moment, she was finding it difficult to focus on it. Instead, her mind was filled with questions.

Zelda glanced at Link out of the corner of her eye. Though he was firm on his feet and in expression, as he usually was, there was a subtle but present darkness beneath his eyes, accompanied by a bruise, green and healing, on his cheek. It was far too much of a coincidence, considering the "Discipline Form" she'd found in his file, added a mere few days before.

" _Off task,"_ the form had read. " _Informal relations with Her Royal Highness. Class Three disciplinary actions necessary for improvement."_

Now, she acknowledged that yes, she had encouraged what could be considered "informal relations." But that was allowed if the royal party gave proper consent, didn't it? That was how it usually worked, but if so… why was he punished?

She glanced around, checking that there was no one watching her table, no one within hearing distance. Once she was certain they were indeed out of earshot, she turned towards her knight.

"Link?" she whispered. The knight in question looked towards her, tilting his head slightly in response.

"There was a… a form filed a few days ago," she said, deciding to get it over with as quickly as possible. "How exactly could 'informal relations' cause Class Three discipline?"

There was a slight twitch of Link's shoulders, as if he had forced himself not to flinch. His face, despite its well-kept blankness, was given away by the slight downward turn of his lips.

"I was off task," he recited with ease. "No matter the occasion, it is necessary for a knight to maintain professionalism while on duty. I failed to do so, and was rightfully punished as a result."

Zelda frowned. "But I gave you permission," she said. "It's not like you get any time off as it is, except to sleep." She suddenly realized he had no designated mealtime, and her frown grew. "Surely it is fine for you to join me in my pastime activities. You are still watching me, after all."

"A knight is not meant to participate in leisure. Knights live to serve," the _knight_ stated, because this wasn't Link, Zelda decided. This was Sir Link, the knight honed to be blank-faced, professional, and firm. Not the young man who was bashful, a bit shy, but (dare she say it) _endearing_ all the same.

"You serve me all day, every day," Zelda said quietly, but firmly. "The least I can do is allow you to 'participate in leisure.'"

He was silent for a moment. Sir Link did not seem to feel like responding.

But then, to her astonishment, a bit of plain old Link bled through. "...I do not think the captain would approve," he said a bit quietly, casting his eyes to the floor. "He was… not happy about what happened the other day." He allowed no emotion into his face, but his voice was infected with the slightest bit of something terrifying.

Fear? But no, it couldn't be. Link was brave, he was selfless and so very strong! There was no way… _fear_?

The word rolled around in her mind, and she realized it. Something is going _on here that isn't alright._ Punishment for something he was permitted a member of the Royal Family to do? Exaggeration on forms, perhaps lying about the extent of punishment?

Zelda slammed her book shut. Yes, something was going on here that she didn't like. No, not at all. And Princess Zelda wasn't notorious for being stubborn for nothing.

"Link, I'd like you to help me find every book you can on the rules and guidelines of the disciplinary systems of the kingdom's knights," she said, standing up. She sent him a firm, pointed look. "And I do mean _every_ book." Because now there was a new thing on her to-do list, right beneath finding her sealing powers and defeating Calamity Ganon, and she would ensure that it was achieved.

* * *

 **Summary for this chapter in ten words or less: Liari being a teenager, and Captain? Start running.**

 **My sincere apologies for the delay on this update. If you didn't see the not-a-chapter chapter (which should be deleted by now), I had a lot going on and was unable to finish the chapter by the last due date. Heck, I barely made it to today! I literally finished the chapter like 5-10 minutes ago and had four pages total about an hour and a half ago. It's up to six now, but BOY was that a close call. The most disappointing thing was that there was a lot I could add to this chapter. The Vald interrogation scene didn't have as much development as I'd like, and the second half could use some more too. So when this chapter gets edited in the mass edit, its page count will probably go from six to eight or nine or _more._ It seems the list of Not-So-Great chapters just grows more and more... not to say I don't like this one. I love this one! There's just so much more I could've done... *cries***

 **Anyway, enough of that. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! As always, you all are way too kind! If I failed to reply to your review, I sincerely apologize. I only had a small amount of time to write and whatnot last week, so it all went to writing. If you review again, I will do my best not to miss it!**

 **I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Oh, and have a happy New Year! 2020... I am totally rating everything 20/20 next year. Or making jokes about the number twenty. Or something. IT'S DOUBLE TWENTIES, IT'S AMAZING!**

 **Sincerely (as a piece of bacon... wait...),**

 **Ari~**


	39. Chapter 38: Reminiscence

**notaname: It's all good! Confusion is good for my health. Oh man, starting the BoTW experience? I don't know how much time I spent by the time I last played (a while back), but I'm sure it's more than I think it is! Oh, no, no disappointment here! The fact you reviewed at all is appreciated! Don't ever say that nobody ever wants to listen to you! You might be surprised how much one word can effect somebody, written, spoken, or otherwise. WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP AT 12:30 AM?! GO TO SLEEP! XD I hope you've had a wonderful last two weeks, and I wish you a happy two more!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 38: Reminiscence**_

The sky was a brilliant, cloudless blue that day, the early morning sun's rays gently brushing her skin. The girl smiled as she stretched her arms above her head, breathing in the sweet scent of grass and trees.

"Hey, Liari!" called the boy from the base of the steps. "Are you coming?"

The girl smiled. "Yeah, yeah," she said. She leaped down the steps of the porch and greeted her friend with a hug.

"Why are you hugging me?" the eight-year-old questioned, sounding very concerned.

Liari smirked and pulled away. "Tag!"

The boy squawked indignantly, his sky blue eyes widening in surprise. "Hey, that's not fair!" he growled. "That was a cheap shot!"

But Liari was already running. "Catch me if you can, Linkles!"

"Ew, don't call me that!" he exclaimed in disgust, and, if the muffled footsteps were anything to go by, he was on her tail.

Liari laughed and looked back towards him, only to immediately be slammed into the ground, the smaller body of her friend on top of her.

"Hey! It's not nice to body slam someone!" Liari cried.

He rolled off of her, laughing. "That's what you get!" he replied triumphantly. He childishly stuck out his tongue.

"Link, Liari, what are you doing?"

Liari jerked her head towards the voice, only to see the brown-haired, blue-eyed woman carrying a basket of apples, smiling in amusement.

"We were playing tag, Aunt Lydia," the girl said grumpily as she pushed herself to her feet. "But Link cheated!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Not as bad as you, you cheater!"

"Children," Aunt Lydia chuckled, cutting them off. "Link, aren't you supposed to be nice to your cousin?"

"She started it," he mumbled.

"It's not a question of who started it," Aunt Lydia berated gently. "It's a matter of how you react. If you let it go, you're approaching the argument the most maturely."

"Yes, Ma," Link said. Then he frowned. "How's Aunt Diara doing?"

Aunt Lydia's face became slightly sad at the mention, and Liari looked down. "She's not feeling too well today," Aunt Lydia replied. Liari heard shuffling, and before she knew it, she and her cousin were being embraced. "Don't worry, you two," she cooed softly. "She'll be alright before you know it."

"Link! Liari!" came a new voice. Everyone turned their heads up to see a young Sheikah woman walking towards them.

"Impa!" Link and Liari cried excitedly, running towards her immediately.

"Do you have another lesson for us today?" Link asked with a curious tilt of his head.

"Yes, I do," Impa said, smiling at the boy.

Liari ignored the envious squirm that twisted inside of her. "What is it?" Liari asked.

Impa said nothing, instead handing each of them a sheet of paper.

"What is this?" Liari asked, confused.

"It's a map," Link murmured. "...and there's a riddle on the back."

"That's right, Link," Impa said approvingly. Link puffed up pridefully. "I have hidden clues around Kakariko. You both have different trails to follow, but each one leads to the same endpoint. Whoever gets there first wins."

"It's a race!" Liari exclaimed.

Impa's lips twitched upwards in amusement. "You could say that, yes. But in essence, it is a _scavenger hunt._ It doesn't really matter who wins. This is merely an exercise to test your efficiency in logic and reasoning."

"I'm going to beat you, Linkles!" Liari exclaimed, completely ignoring Impa (who rolled her eyes).

"Are not!"

And with that, the two children rushed off to beat the other. Liari, however, didn't realize she had no idea where she was going until she stopped by Lady Rala's house. Every time she saw it, she couldn't help but admire the beauty of the home nestled between shining waterfalls.

"Focus, Liari," she murmured to herself, slapping her cheeks. "Okay… the riddle…"

She flipped the map over to read a short and simple riddle: " _I am orange and long, and come in a bunch; I can be in a cake, or eaten at lunch."_

 _Orange and long… a food…_ ah, that was easy. Carrots! Kakariko was famous for its carrots, being one of the major producers. _So that's where the clue is!_

She sought out the clues, jumping from the carrot gardens to the fountain in the woods to the mysterious shrine above the village… she was certain that she was ahead of Link, who often got sidetracked and overthought things. He was probably still on the first clue!

Then they passed each other on the way to the next part, she catching sight of his dark golden hair.

"What clue are you on?" she asked smugly. "I'm on my fourth."

He shrugged. "Um… either sixth or seventh," he replied unsurely. "Some of them were really close together, though."

Liari's face twisted into something like anger. "Fine then! I can still beat you!"  
"Impa said it didn't matter who wins," he murmured. But Liari merely ignored him. She'd show him! She'd win, and Impa would be so proud, and so would her mum! So off she went, to find the next clue, which was hinted to be around a strawberry bush.

The scavenger went on for hours. Liari found herself bouncing all over the place, from the woods to the town markets, to the graveyard, back to the woods… on and on it went. Finally, she found a clue that seemed to be the last one, stowed subtly behind an old wagon.

" _String together your maps and clues, your destination lies in a place of blues."_

So Liari did just that, looking carefully at the maps for similarities. At first, it just seemed like they were all random maps containing different pieces of Kakariko, but then she noticed something. Though all the maps were different, they all depicted a shared location in some place or another.

"The fairy fountain?" Liari questioned out loud. Indeed, the fairy fountain was the only place marked and labeled on all of the maps… so the fairy fountain it was.

She had cracked the code! She had found the answer, definitely (she hoped) before Link! She leapt to her feet and - very chaotically - scooped up the clues and charts, excitedly making her way to the forest for the fifth time that day.

She skipped along the path, then off towards the fairy fountain. She exuberantly pushed through the bushes to the clearing-

...only to have her face fall at the scene before her.

Link was plopped on the ground, leaning against a tree casually (looking somewhat bored). Beside him, legs crossed, back firm and straight, but with the slightest smile tugging at her normally straight lips, was Impa.

"...very well done, Link" she was saying. "I can always expect the best from you. I think you beat the old record-"

Liari cleared her throat, alerting the two to her presence. Link sat up, his bored expression shifting to one that was cheery and excited. "Hey, Liari! How'd it go?"

"It was alright," she replied, her voice somewhat flat.

Link frowned. "Didn't you have fun?"

At that moment, Liari pushed away her misgivings with not winning. She smiled. "Oh, yeah! What was your favorite riddle?" Who cared if Impa favored her? That wasn't important. The real important thing was her cousin, cheery and bashful as always.

"Ooh, that's a hard one," Link said as Liari sat beside him. "There was this one about horses…"

They chatted on about the different clues they had. The conversation eventually turned to other things - mindless thoughts that came to mind, the best foods, an argument about whether or not a certain spice was disgusting - while Impa just sat there, occasionally giving her input.

At some point, they started talking about learning to make their own quilts so that they could sell them, or give them to family for birthdays.

"...Ma and Auntie Diara might like to help us with that," Link said absently. "It might be fun. I bet we could make something really cool!"

"Hey, Link?" Liari asked suddenly, feeling much less cheerful now.

"Hmm?" He turned his head towards her and tilted his head curiously.

"Do you…" Liari hesitated. "Mum's not getting better. I don't know… if she'll be able to get over this. You've dealt with stuff like this before..." the unspoken _your father, your Gerudo friend, near everyone you've ever known and loved besides us and your mum,_ was better left unsaid. Liari swallowed before she continued. "I… I think I need some advice."

Link frowned and looked down at his lap. The clearing of the fairy fountain was suddenly much eerier, the air thick with tension just waiting to break. Even Impa had stiffened.

It was awhile before Link spoke again. "I don't know what I can tell you," he said quietly. "Everything that I've 'dealt with' was sudden and unexpected. But you know what's coming, unlike I did. So…" he swallowed. "Spend time with your ma while you can. Make the most out of every moment and treasure it dearly. If anything happens, you'll know that you made her happy while you could, and that's all that matters."

Liari felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. "Oh, Link," she said, and before she knew what she was doing, she had hugged him. Before she knew it, she was sobbing. "I-I don't want her t-to go," she hiccuped.

"No one ever does," Link murmured, with that strange maturity that nine-year-olds should never possess. "But sometimes we just need to move forward. Be strong… for them."

* * *

Sixteen-year-old Liari breathed in deeply as she entered the library. She needed to find either Impa or Link - only one of them could get her to calm her rage, she knew. Impa would stoically ask questions, which would help Liari logically deduce what the right thing to do in this situation was. Link, on the other hand, would let her vent and then give her a few blunt words of wisdom, always exactly what she needed to hear.

 _Or would he?_ her inner thoughts asked, causing Liari to flinch. _This Link is different than the one you used to know. How do you know he won't just ignore you, or tell you you're being foolish? After all, he_ did _push you away._

 _But he did that because he thought he was protecting us,_ Liari's own mind debated. He had always been one to blame himself. Yes, he moved forward, and yes, he was strong (so, _so strong, too strong_ ), but he was not one to leave the past where it belonged. Instead, he carried its weight on his shoulders, carrying it as a trophy of survival. When his mother had been killed by the Yiga, he had decided that, because the Yiga had been chasing after _him_ all those years, the only way to keep everyone safe was to leave.

And he was right. But it would've been worth the battle if he stayed, Liari was sure. He would've remained the way he was, carefree despite the burdens, cheerful despite his sorrows.

She saw Link out of the corner of her eye, standing beside the princess, who was searching the bookshelves as if a book there cured world hunger. He stood stiff and straight, the form of a proper knight. She knew he wanted her to stay away from him right now, that he thought he wasn't safe.

 _I haven't spoken to him in a while,_ Liari thought. Suddenly her previous anger at Purah seemed to hesitate with her. _This isn't that important,_ she thought quickly, _I'm just being stupid, all of this was stupid, nothing I do is right-_

Liari felt a hand on her shoulder and whirled around quickly, nearly slapping the offender across the face.

He was an older man, hunched over from age. His red eyes were warm and kind, making her previous "I'm-going-take-my-anger-out-on-you-as-if-you-murdered-my-dog" mood retreat.

"Are you Liari?" he asked with a smile just as warm as his eyes.

"I am," Liari replied uncertainly. "And you are?"

"My name is Korushu," he replied. "And I think that you can help me with something."

* * *

 **Man, this chapter was written fast. Much faster than the last few chapters, but that might be because I actually knew what I was doing in this one. Inspiration = Speed Boost. If Liari POV isn't your jam... I'm sorry. I hate reading the POV of OCs sometimes because they're not developed well enough, I just don't care about them, they have an unoriginal personality, etc. So I'm just gonna have to hope that I made this interesting enough you don't feel like these sorts of chapters are tedious.**

 **If the flashback thing in the first half was confusing... sorry again! I don't do a lot of flashbacks anymore because I read somewhere that they can be seen as "lazy" when overused. Not sure how true that is, but I can see how they can be overused sometimes. There are some fanfics that have a ton of unnecessary flashbacks that cut into the story and mess up the flow... I usually just skip those parts and guess on my own what happened because that's often much more entertaining.**

 **Enough of the flashback rant! Okay, um... if y'all have any suggestions for what you want to see in _Before (The Much Better One, I Assure You),_ feel free to leave a review! I have a plot planned out (roughly), but it's the filler parts that I struggle with. You want to see Zelink moments? Sure! Might be a bit more subtle, but I'll leave 'em in there! Want to see the champions interacting more? I'll throw them all into a party of some sort! Want to see more from a certain character? Say hello to a new Revali centered chapter! ...Seriously guys. What do you want from me?! I'M NOT CREATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO FILLER. All I want to see is more fire and explosions.**

 **Anywho, that's enough of my insanity. Big thanks to all of my reviewers! You guys are way too kind! As I have said before (and will probably say many more times), every review makes my day! Some days are rough - that's life for you - but your comments always help me feel better. Also, reviews = motivation juice, which = inspiration, which equals speed boost. Therefore, reviews = speed boost. What's that called again? Reflexive property? Why am I thinking about math at ten o'clock at night? I SHOULD BE SLEEPING!**

 **Anyway, do leave a review if you can! If you can't, I understand - everyone gets busy. I haven't been able to review at all recently (I've been taking a bit of a break from reading fanfics because I have an unhealthy obsession), so yeah, I get it. But if you can, I would love it!**

 **Have a wonderful day/week/next two weeks, everybody! I wish you luck in the chaotic storm that is life. May you be successful as you go about your days.**

 **Sincerely (Don't fall asleep... DoN't FaLl AsLeEp...),**

 **Ari, your favoritest doggo (except for, you know, all those other great doggos, you know? The ones that are actually dogs?)~**


	40. Chapter 39: Gossip

**notaname: Sometimes it's better to be confused than to have the answers come quick. Makes you think/work harder, and improves your logic. And sometimes it's better not to know something than it is to know it. But I can definitely see how it could be stressful (I definitely get that, but sometimes the stress is worth it). Hi! My last couple of weeks were a bit rough, but eh, it could always be worse. How about you? I still haven't even started Champion's Ballad (despite having it), but from what I hear, it's not easy. So... very nicely done! ...You're absolutely welcome. Sometimes I need to hear stuff like that too. I usually find myself really annoying, but people always tell me that I help cheer them up, and it's always nice to hear that, y'know? I understand the homework part, but fighting skills?! I can like, bite someone really hard, but that's not much. TEACH ME YOUR WAYS! But yeah, it doesn't seem safe to practice that sort of thing at 12:30 in the morning. I wish you a good next couple of weeks!**

 _ **Chapter 39: Gossip**_

Nowhere, not in a single book, was there anything saying Link was being rightfully punished. Nothing about ordered leisure being wrong; in fact, it was encouraged. Guardees needed to feel comfortable around their guards, lest they… run away and act recklessly… Zelda knew that all too well.

"Look, Link," she said, pointing at the books. "Nothing in here says you're guilty. Of _anything._ You meet all the standards of a perfect knight."

Link blinked at her blankly. "Then why would the captain think otherwise?" he replied as if it was a real argument. His eyes darkened with an emotion she couldn't recognize.

 _Probably because he's an abusive idiot of an excuse for a human being_ , Zelda thought. She had asked Link about the abuse (which he called correct punishment), and surprisingly enough, he provided all the "reasons" that made his punishments just.

"So starving and beating a squire because he wanted to help out in the kitchen _isn't_ wrong?" Zelda asked coldly.

Link remained silent, looking down at his feet. After a few moments, he lifted his head to reply, but was interrupted almost immediately. The voices of two loudly gossiping ladies on the other side of the shelves were quite out of place in the library.

"...Did you hear about Sir Zago?" said the first voice.

Link tensed across from Zelda.

"Wait, do you mean _Commander_ _Ross_ Zago?"

"Yes, that's the one. You oughtn't call him commander anymore. Got demoted, see. He was caught _knitting_ of all things."

 _Demoted? For knitting?_ Zelda found herself incredibly disbelieving. Since when did commanders get demoted for _knitting?_

Apparently the second of the two ladies felt much the same.

"Demoted, Agitha?" she laughed, voice dripping with humor. "For something like knitting? You can't be serious!"

"Aye, so it is," came the first voice, Agitha. "Everyone's been talking about it. It's dishonorable to the knight's code. The captain o' the Royal Guard… Arduum, I believe? He's the one who convinced the general to demote that Sir Zago. Apparently, he's been caught doing knitting _on duty_. No knight should ever do such a thing, Lita."

"Surely it's fine," came the exasperated voice of Agitha's companion, revealed to be named Lita. "I mean, it's just-"

"It's unacceptable behavior from a knight, Lita," came a new woman's voice, sounding stiff and cold. "Disgraceful. No knight should be doing a _woman's_ work. _I_ hear they used to strip them completely of all rank and exile them to the furthest corners of Hyrule for such actions."

"Lady Bertha, I didn't see you there," said Agitha, sounding surprised. "I think that was… during the war with Labrynna, yes?"

"Indeed," sniffed the lady. "After all, they couldn't allow distractions on a battlefield. Some were even killed on the spot for such actions."

"Ah, well, at least we have a few good 'uns here," said Agitha. "Like Sir Link Equitem."

At the mention of himself, Zelda watched as he shrank downward.

"The princess's knight?" Lita asked. "The Hylian Champion?"

"Aye," Agitha confirmed. "Quiet, stoic, obedient… he's the perfect soldier if you ask me."

"Those are always the best kind," Lady Bertha agreed. "Perfect little weapons, aren't they? We could do with a few more."

Zelda felt something raw and red boiling in her blood. She felt her eyes narrow, her face twisting into a scowl. Out of the corner of her eye, Link had managed to shrink down even further.

The ladies walked away, bringing their obnoxious voices with them. Zelda felt a growl rising in her throat.

"Princess?"

Zelda looked towards Link. He had managed to straighten his back and flatten his expression while she was visualizing brutal ways of murdering three women.

"Yes, Link?" she asked.

He nodded towards the bookshelf. "People don't want human knights, Princess. They want blank-faced soldiers. What do you think they would do if they discovered their Hylian Champion thinks and feels like everyone else?"

Zelda opened her mouth immediately to argue _they wouldn't care_ , and _they'd love you just as much because you're brave, and you're a hero, and you succeeded where I failed._ But then she clamped her mouth shut, because it was all lies.

"They'd be angry," Link answered for her, speaking her thoughts. "They'd be angry that their trophy doesn't meet their definition of a perfect warrior. They'd be angry that I…" Link swallowed, before quickly resuming an emotionless expression. "...put up a front the whole time," he continued. "But above all… they'd lose faith."

 _Without my powers, hope was already declining plenty,_ Zelda thought. _But when Link drew the Master Sword, their hope increased. They thought that maybe, even if their princess is a failure, their hero can save them._

 _But if he wasn't who they thought he was… wasn't as invincible as he pretends to be..._

"And that, Princess," Link stated, "is why I am no freer than you are."

 _No,_ Zelda thought. _That is why you carry much more weight than I do. That is why_ I _am so much freer than_ you.

It was a miracle that Link hadn't cracked under the pressure yet. But Zelda couldn't help but wonder… why was he sharing all this with her?

Zelda went back to the book. Even if she couldn't free him completely… perhaps she could, at the very least, find a way to get rid of a certain captain.

* * *

"I don't follow."

Impa sighed and massaged her temples. Her back was sore from her stupid office chair, there was a huge pile of paperwork to be done, and now _this_.

"Purah, think of how you would feel if I told you that you programmed one of the guardians incorrectly."

Impa's much shorter older sister scoffed from across the desk, leaning back in her chair. "You don't know a thing about Sheikah technology," she laughed. "You couldn't tell the difference between a circuit and a ball of yarn!"

Impa blinked at her older sister through narrowed, tired eyes. "Fine, let me put it another way. How would you like it if Lady Rala or what was his name… Doctor Yorin? Yes, how would you like it if one of them told you that what you did was wrong?"

"First of all, they're both dead," Purah said, not sounding the slightest bit grieved. "Second of all, it was their _job_ to tell me what I did wrong. That's literally the whole point of a mentor or a foster mother. Besides, Rala never paid me much attention anyway. You were her favorite."

"Though I'm flattered you think so," Impa said, internally rolling her eyes, "she raised you just as much as she raised me. Do I have to simplify this even more to you?"

"You know me, dearest sister!" cried Purah dramatically, propping her feet on Impa's desk so that she could lean even further back in her chair. "Be as specific as possible, lest I find every possible loophole!"

"You're going to tip your chair over," Impa pointed out.

"Eh, falling never killed anyone." Purah grinned mischievously. The idiot leaned even further back. _Did she seriously just wink?_

"Right," Impa said, _outwardly_ rolling her eyes. "Well, imagine how you would feel if you put your heart and soul into a project-"

"Physically impossible," Purah interrupted. "We still haven't even figured out how to remove a soul from the body and store it! You'd think we'd be better at it with all the ghosts Hyrule has floating around…"

"- _not to be taken literally_ ," Impa continued. "You've spent months of hard work and planning-"

"Unlikely. There's this thing called procrastination, you may have heard of it…"

"Perhaps you've discovered how to…" Impa paused as she tried to come up with something stupid that Purah would be interested in. "...make the guardians talk," she finished.

Purah replied with an excited squeal. "I haven't even _thought_ of that! Now that I do though, I think maybe this one circuit I studied a few years back, combined with-"

" _Purah,_ " Impa snapped. This time, Purah replied by losing her balance, her chair tipping over and crashing loudly into the rug.

"Ugh," Purah groaned, pulling herself from the wreckage that remained of the chair. "Why didn't you tell me I was leaning again?"

"Shut up," Impa growled lowly. Somehow, her _older_ (only by a year, but older nonetheless) sister always managed to annoy her in ways no one else could. Perhaps it was her lack of an attention span, or her immature attitude towards everything. "You asked me for advice. If you stop interrupting me, then I might just be able to help you."

"Well I don't see the big problem with her," Purah huffed, righting her chair with a muffled clack against the rug. "First she goes and does something ridiculously reckless, then acts like she saved the universe! And my precious guardians, torn to pieces! Honestly, one exposed spy isn't worth the hundreds of rupees it'll cost to fix this!"

"While I acknowledge that what Liari did was not the best way to go about this, she _did_ act as _you_ might've when you were her age." Impa casted her sister a glare. "You have been a bad example. If you hadn't wanted her to cause so much damage, you shouldn't have encouraged such behavior!"

"I have _not_ encouraged-"

"You have," Impa interjected, rubbing her temples. "Don't bother arguing."

Purah's mouth snapped shut.

"Because you have encouraged reckless behavior, she has been lead to believe it is normal," Impa said. "It doesn't help that she and Link were inseparable when they were younger, because he was not nearly as restrained as he is now."

"Soooo… that has to do with this _how_?"

Impa sighed. "You have to teach her the same way I taught Link. Compliment her for her success, but advise against certain actions - not informing you, or risking the technology for example."

Purah blinked. "Well, yeah," she stated as if it was obvious. "But I have to _find_ her first."

Now Impa was the one blinking stupidly. "What?"

" _I_ , Purah, scientist of ancient technology," Purah stated as if explaining two plus two equaled four, "need to locate Liari Equitem, my apprentice."

"But _why_?"

Purah rolled her eyes. "Because no one has seen her since yesterday, you idiot."

* * *

 **This chapter might be a bit rough, but I think it was at least better than some of the others. I didn't have much time for this one, because I had a couple of finals and whatnot over the last couple weeks. Curse you, school! Besides that, there are more than a few family matters that have me bummed out (did I seriously just write "bummed out"? Am I on _drugs_?!). Besides THAT, I've been putting a lot more focus on my original book (which is in the very bare-bones stage of development at the moment, so if you have anything you'd want to see from a fantasy book... OFF-TOPIC, MOVING ON) rather than _Before_. So yeah, life decided to be stupid, and now I have a headache. CURSE YOU, LIFE!**

 **Anywho, enough of my life rants. I hope you guys had a wonderful last couple of weeks! If you caught a typo or anything (I wouldn't be surprised, because I spent little time grammar checking), feel free to put it in a review! Or just tell me about your favorite kind of ice cream! That reminds me, there's a VERY IMPORTANT SURVEY on my profile, which I am using for _totally_ scientific research. If you want to, you can check it out ;)**

 **I hope y'all have a wonderful next couple weeks! Review if you can, but if you can't, I understand (but I would still love it if you could!) completely.**

 **Sinceerely (Wait, that's not how you spell sincerely. Why isn't my grammar checker checking this?),**

 **Ari~**


	41. Chapter 40: Persuasion

**notaname (three weeks ago): I can see that. Knowledge is an important thing (that's one reason why I usually take the hardest classes possible)! Confusion is a rarer thing for me, because I do a lot of observing and work things out for myself. I'd say I'm pretty good at that. And I do catch on a bit more quickly than most, which is another plus. But something I've learned is that it's not always a good thing to have those things confirmed. Some things are better left unknown, while others can't ever be known for certain. So, hello! That sounds like a pretty good couple weeks (though it was a while ago). I feel you on the lack of invitations - a couple days ago was the first invite to someone's house I've had in a long time. Because my social life is just like Latin - it's dead. Jokes aside, Champion's Ballad... I did think that seemed a bit disappointing (haven't quite done it yet, but I have watched other people). At least it's not the triforce shard quest in Wind Waker... *shivers*. Aw, you're too kind! I actually kind of needed that today. I can feel you on that personality changing stuff. Depending on who I'm with, I can be anything from sarcastic and witty to cold and calculating. But that doesn't mean you don't have a real personality. It's just different facets of it, if that makes sense. Everyone's got a little bit of everything in them, some people just have sides that are more dominant than others. Oh no, I totally get the fighting skills thing - it was more a joke than anything else, but it is great to learn a bit about how it works when you write stuff. Helps it be more accurate, you know? No need to be sorry! Sleep schedules are really important for me personally, but I know that everyone is different. I've come to appreciate sleep a bit more because I used to have really bad insomnia, so every second counts. I hope you have a great next couple of weeks! Thank you for all the reviews, it's much appreciated! :)**

 **Dash: Personally, I consider Hylians a kind of race, not a species. They're all human, normal humans and Gerudo included. Gorons and Rito are a bit more of a gray area, but I suppose they're technically races too. I'm sorry if that bothers you, that's just my opinion!**

 **notaname (from last week): Oh no, that's completely fine! Life is life, and I completely understand! Thanks for the heads up, though! I'm glad you understand. School is calming down (some classes are so boringly easy now that I want to bang my head against the table... but I won't do that, because that would hurt XD), so I shouldn't have to choose between them anymore. Now it's coming down to choosing between writing and piano, but I've been working on getting that more balanced.**

 **the8horcrux: OH MY GOSH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! YOU'RE WAY TOO KIND! Also, I don't judge all caps, because I do it all the time XD. I'm really, REALLY sorry I had to postpone the update. I'm glad Liari isn't boring (I kind of see her as annoying, but that's kind of on purpose XD), because I was a bit worried about that. OCs aren't always all the rage in fanfics, if you know what I mean. I WILL NEVER STOP TORTURING LINK! YOU CAN'T MAKE MEEEEEE... well, this chapter has a considerably lesser amount, but that's besides the point! Yeah, I've been meaning to fit the other champions in here, but I'm working out how to do it without it seeming out of place. I do need some of that Ravioli drama... and Mipha drama... and Daruk bashfulness... and Urbosa = MMMM, yes, love her. It's official, I'm throwing them all in there the moment I spot the slightest opportunity. OH MY GOSH, YOU'RE SO NICE! I really needed that today, but seriously, you're too kind!**

 _ **Chapter 40: Persuasion**_

Liari was gone.

Link didn't know how to feel. They had been close, yes, ever since his time in Kakariko. But since he had started cutting himself off from the Sheikah, their bond had withered like a daisy in Hebra. They had talked once or twice since his split with them, but the moments were somewhat awkward. She had come to him to rant about Purah once or twice, but besides that, they had just… drifted apart.

Far apart or not, he _did_ still care about her. But he didn't know the context of her disappearance. He had heard rumors about a massacre of guardians and the murder of a soldier, but the princess was, surprisingly, uninterested. That made for a severe lack of information on the matter.

He found it incredibly strange that Liari was gone (why'd she leave? _Did_ she leave?), but he couldn't dwell on it too much. He'd leave it for those quiet moments at night where he was free to calculate, plot, and cry as he so pleased. For now, however, he had a job to do.

Princess Zelda was sat across from him at the library table, a place they'd come a lot recently. It was no longer books on myths and Sheikah technology that she paged through, replaced by books on prosecution and law. She had been vocal enough about why.

"Your 'punishments' are completely out of line," she said suddenly, pulling him from his stupor with a raised eyebrow. "I can tell you're thinking this is pointless - it's written all over your face."

Fear dropped into Link's stomach. That had been happening more and more lately… a small blink of an eye here, a twitch of his lips, and she could read him like a book. She only became more and more accurate.

The last person to read him so well, even with his guard up, was Impa, and she could _read minds._ Yet another thing to be concerned about.

 _Think about that later,_ he reminded himself. _Concerns are for the night, concerns are for the night._

"The captain is just in his punishments," Link repeated, as he had so many times in the past few days. But he'd become more and more doubtful, and Zelda could tell. It was clear from the triumphant twitch at the corners of her mouth, as if she wanted to hide it but couldn't help feeling proud.

"I'll fix this for you, Link," Zelda promised. "Whether you like it or not. This is wrong, and you know it." Then she frowned. "Why are you still standing up?"

Link blinked away his confusion. "I'm not supposed to sit on duty, Princess," he tried.

"Nonsense," Zelda scoffed. "Sit, or else…" She raised an eyebrow, implying all sorts of horrors.

So it was with a heavy heart that Link relented and pulled out the creaky wooden chair, sitting down stiffly.

"If you want, you can read a book," Zelda suggested, gesturing to a pile of books he hadn't noticed before. "I wasn't sure what sort you liked… so I pulled a bit of everything. Some about history, some mythology, some science, some cooking… I think there's even some poetry in there."

"I shouldn't-" Zelda shot him a glare, and Link swallowed. "I need to be alert-"

"I insist." Zelda rolled her eyes. "All you do is stand there, and that's not helpful at the slightest. This way you'll be doing your job, but you'll also be learning, or at the very least you'll be entertained. If you really want to, you can help me with these." Zelda patted the stack of political books. "But since you are so certain that the captain is innocent, I thought you'd rather read something else. Too much incrimination in these books, I'm afraid."

Link knew that a part of him was curious. The curious little boy he'd once been still lived somewhere down there (deep, _deep_ down), but it rarely got a say. Now, though, it seemed that he was fighting for control. _Incrimination?_

Link shook his head. _No, not again. Stop doubting the captain. He's good at what he does. He knows what he's doing. Just keep my head down and keep moving forward. There's no need to fill my head up with nonsense fantasies of a better life._

That last thought surprised him. _What's that supposed to mean? This is a great life, the life I'm destined to live. I'm selfish to think otherwise… or so the captain has told me._

"Link?" The princess's voice drew him out of his daze. Her brow was creased with worry.

Link merely gave her a blank look, unsure of what else to offer. What could he say? _I'm questioning the meaning of life,_ his mind offered. _Why are we here? Why do we even live, just to suffer? If we're all going to die someday, what's the point of living? Just your everyday existential crisis, you know?_

But jokes from knights weren't funny, he reminded himself. But at the same time, it was the captain who had convinced him that joking was bad, and Zelda was quite convinced that the man was wrong. And Zelda wasn't stupid. Stubborn, perhaps. Stupid, she was most definitely not.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," Link said a bit too quickly.

Zelda frowned and tilted her head slightly, as she always did when she was thinking very thoroughly. Link shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"...Is this about that Liari girl?" Zelda asked.

Link blinked.

"I heard she went missing. And I heard that she was a friend of yours, or at the very least _used_ to be. Are you worried about her?"

Link cast his eyes downward.

"...cousin," he mumbled.

"What?"

"She's my cousin." _The only family I have left._

"Oh." Link noted the slight pinkness of the princess's cheeks. "I thought… but nevermind that. You were close?"

"Were," he agreed.

"So you _are_ worried."

Link fought back a sigh, skillfully schooling his expression into blankness. "No. A knight doesn't have time to worry, Your Highness."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "I expect that the _captain_ was the one who told you that?"

Link frowned. _Yes, he was._ Why did the princess have to keep on making him question everything?

"Think of everything that man has ever told you," Zelda said slowly, "and throw it out the window. I don't _care_ what your ridiculous captain thinks. I don't even care what the oh-so-great _Hylian Champion_ thinks. I want to know what _Link_ thinks."

Link was unable to suppress his shock. His mouth opened aimlessly, eyes widening just enough to be obvious. The princess stared into his shocked eyes with the most serious expression he'd ever seen…

...and then she burst into laughter. Which didn't help his brain. At all.

Zelda said something in her laughter, which Link could barely make out. Something along the lines of "That's the most expression I've seen on your face."

Link frowned. Then a stray hair made its way into his eyes, so he shook his head to rid himself of it. But that only made his bangs replace it, reminding him of his urgent need to cut his hair. This only served to make the princess laugh _harder_. Link felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," Zelda said when she finally stopped laughing, wiping a tear from her eye. "I never get to see that side of you. I do wish you'd be yourself more, you know."

This time, Link managed to suppress all but a slight raise of the eyebrow.

" _Did you ever consider,"_ came a familiar voice of Fi, " _that she cares about you?"_

Link didn't want to admit it, but yes, he had. Zelda had hinted at it multiple times, but this had to be the closest she'd come to voicing it. He had often thought it was too hopeful to be true. He was a _knight_ , she was a _princess_. Princesses don't care if their knights were themselves. Then again, the captain had said _that_ too.

"What's wrong?"

Link cast his eyes to the side. What should he say? He could make something up. He could lie and say it was nothing.

"I don't know what to think anymore." The words were out of his mouth before he could have a second thought. "The captain… I've known him since I was a kid. Closest thing I've had to a father since…" his eyes went to the floor. _The Yiga stood over him, sickle raised over his head..._

"Oh, Hylia," came Zelda's horrified voice. "I didn't… but you need to understand that this is still _wrong_." Link looked up, meeting her solemn yet determined green eyes. "In fact, this makes it even worse. Maybe the captain has made you think he cares, but he _doesn't_. No one in their right mind would do this to someone they care about. He's abusing you. He's hurting you, and he doesn't care about anything other than your usefulness, I'm sure."

Link frowned yet again, but he couldn't think of anything to say in reply. So instead, he reached over to the pile of books and plucked out a book about horses. When he had been a squire, he had spent a lot of time in the stables with the horses. That was one of the few things he went against the captain's orders on…

Link shook off the thought. The captain was also strongly against reading for leisure at any time, let alone on the job. But…

Link snuck a glance at Zelda's face, now focused on her book. Maybe… she could have a point.

* * *

 **Sorry for the delay, everyone! And for a chapter that's a bit shorter and pure Zelink fluff (platonic or romantic, take it however you so please)... I'm sorry. XD**

 **Oof, I have not been the most motivated lately. Also, life is stupid, because life does whatever the heck it wants. CURSE YOU, LIFE! RAAAAAAAA! And procrastination is a thing too, a lack of motivation being a key part of that. I really need to get the action in this story to pick up, because my lack of motivation is pacing it a bit slowly, and that makes me LESS motivated, and then it gets paced even MORE slowly, and it's an endless cycle of procrastination. Also, I have not done a lot of editing at ALL for the last... ten chapters or so. Which is kind of bad, so oops.**

 **Speaking of a lack of editing, feel free to review! I'm sure there's something worded weirdly in here somewhere, and I'm sure that something can be improved. If you don't catch anything, feel free to suggest things you want to see, theorize, or just drop in to say hi. PLEASE, IT MIGHT HELP PRESSURE ME OUT OF WRITER'S BLOCK, BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE TOO NICE!**

 **Quick shout out to the newcomer reviewer, the8horcrux. How the heck do you have the patience to write reviews for that many chapters? I can barely write one! I am in awe of your dedication to reviewing. XD**

 **Ooh! Another idea for your reviews! Writing prompts, because lack of inspiration is often a large part of procrastination. Though I did recently read that procrastination isn't necessarily bad, it's still procrastination. But writing prompts help that, right?**

 **Anywho, to all of you that reviewed, THANK YOU (read that in Beedle's voice. You know you want to)! Like I said before, you guys are too kind, because this stuff kind of feels crappy sometimes. You're probably the only reason this story hasn't gone on hiatus, because I'd feel too guilty to leave you hanging like that... ;-; So yeah, thanks. Imma go cry now.**

 **Sincerely (as sincere can be, I assure you!),**

 **Ari~**


	42. Chapter 41: Colorful

**notaname: Yeah, you have an excellent point. I usually feel very metaphorical/argumental when I respond to these because I'm tired, so I tend to run people in circles. Sorry about that! My three weeks were going alright. Last two went fine, too. I hope yours went well! Thank you for the congrats! I actually noticed right before I read your review, and was all like "WHAT THE HECK, THIS IS AMAZING!" and stuff.**

 _ **Chapter 41: Colorful**_

Deep below Hyrule Castle, in the caverns long since forgotten, four people clad in thick wool cloaks walked down the tunnels, torches the only light to be seen.

The young scientist held a torch towards one of the murals, ancient and worn by time. She found herself enamored by the images, whether it was her field of expertise or not. To think, all of this was below the castle all this time!

Engraved on the wall was what she could only assume was the castle… but were those five structures depicted around it?

"Something wrong, Newbie?" asked the grumpy older woman.

The scientist frowned as she leaned closer to the mural, gently brushing away dust with her hand. "What are these pillars? Surrounding the castle…"

She heard her companions walk towards her. "Ah, those," said the older man. "Those are the _columns_."

"The columns...?" She sucked in a breath of realization. "From the myths!"

"Indeed," he said, amused. "Said to have the power to activate once the Calamity was released, for the sake of creating an invisible, magical barricade. It's even suggested that they contain the hundreds of guardians we've been unable to locate. All theories, of course…"

The young scientist's demeanor brightened significantly. "Is that what we're looking for down here, Koru?"

"So it is." The man smiled, trailing his own fingers along the grooves in the stone. "One of my scouts caught onto a lead on how to reach them. If we can find them, we can figure out how they work, maybe improve them to better defend against invaders."

"If we did find them, we could use them against _more_ than just the Calamity," the scientist realized. "Tensions with Labrynna have been high since the war… they could attack any day. That threat, combined with that of the Calamity…"

"And the barrier only activates when it senses a strong presence of the Calamity's energy," Koru explained. "Ancient Sheikah had a name for it that roughly translates to 'malice.'"

"So essentially, it activates when it senses _anger_? Seems a bit foolish."

Koru shook his head. "No, not exactly. The texts describe it as a thick, gooey substance that concentrates in areas of the Calamity's exposure. It was said that even the slightest contact with it made any living thing burn to death."

"Why 'malice' then? And what could have made it so destructive?" Though all this mythology was definitely not her field, she couldn't help her interest. _Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back_. Besides, ancient tech and mythology went hand in hand.

"It was said to have been the physical representation of the Calamity's rage and spite. Actually, come over here."

The young scientist looked up at Koru, who was gesturing towards another wall. Curious, she followed.

Koru pointed at the new mural, covered with aged crimson paint. "This is a depiction of a fort of some sort that was exposed to the Calamity. The crimson? Not blood. And those figures right there are the hero and the princess incarnations."

"'Incarnations?'"

"It's only a theory." Koru's hand brushed along the top of the mural, which showed a white figure. "The idea that the hero and princess of each era of Calamity are all incarnations of the originals… that's been passed down in the families of Sheikah philosophers for generations. Sure, it's a strange concept…" Koru shrugged. "If that were true, that would mean that maybe, somewhere deep down, the princess and the Hylian Champion have memories of their past lives. I heard a rumor that Sir Link was taking down fully grown knights when he was a mere squire, so there may be some truth to that."

The young scientist nodded. "I've… _interacted_ with him. Even when he was younger, he had an oddly automatic grip on formality."

"Ah, yes, you would've met him," Koru said absently. "Well, if we can manage to reach the columns… perhaps we may be able to help the upcoming battle with the Calamity go smoother."

 _Smoother._ Smoother meant fewer burdens on those knights and soldiers. Smoother meant fewer casualties, fewer lives lost.

She turned to Koru with a grin. "Well then, let's find those columns, shall we?"

* * *

"Ridiculous."

Zelda could hardly keep herself from sinking down and willing the floor to consume her. But she knew she had to do this.

The princess blocked his path in the wide, arching corridor. Perhaps it was the windows that boosted her courage - the light that filtered in from the outside gave her a warmth and strength she wouldn't have otherwise.

"Listen, Father." Zelda stood her ground as firmly as she could, ignoring the way her heart pounded as the King of Hyrule raised a single brow. "Captain Arduum is abusing his power! I read the punishment records, all extreme for the reasons listed! A _beating_ for _reading a book_! A demotion for _knitting_! The reasons go on and-"

"I'm not in the mood for your foolish games, Zelda," the king growled. "Captain Arduum has been in charge of the Royal Guard for years with no complaint. He's a loyal, hardworking man. He may be a bit strict-"

" _Strict?_ " Zelda echoed indignantly. "He beats _children_ for having _hobbies_!"

"Squires, Zelda." The king brushed past her and continued on. "They sell their souls the moment they're enlisted. They've no time for leisure."

"But Father-!"

"And as you are participating in these ridiculous accusations, you are wasting precious time that could be spent trying to find your powers!" The king's eyes darkened. "I've been lenient on you so far, Zelda. If I wished, I could lock you away in the temple until you finally make some progress. Though I'd rather not deal with the riots, I will _gladly_ do so if necessary."

"If you would just _listen_ -"

"I've _been_ listening, Zelda," the king interrupted coldly. "Basic disciplinary procedures are not something to start a protest over. That's my final answer."

Without even giving Zelda a moment to respond, King Rhoam disappeared into his quarters.

Zelda shouted something in her rage and slammed her fist against the door. "Fine then!" she screeched. "It's not as if I haven't done everything I can for you already! So just turn your back on me - see if I care!"

Zelda turned on her heel and stomped away, the soldiers guarding the corridors shifting the slightest bit further from her wrathful form. Zelda couldn't bring herself to care - the _nerve_ of him! He didn't even bother listening to the evidence she'd spent weeks putting together. All of that work, and he didn't even look! And now she wouldn't be able to help Link-

Zelda stopped in her tracks. Today was his day off (well deserved, she was sure), so he wasn't there beside her. That was why she'd chosen this time to confront her father. But if he were there… what would he think?

 _If it was Link who was in this situation, he would remain calm,_ she realized. _He would stay strong. He wouldn't throw a tantrum, would he?_

 _He would bear it. Silently._

Zelda frowned. Wasn't that how he'd gotten into this situation in the first place, though? It was all so complicated. Now she wished that Link _wasn't_ off duty today.

 _Wait… if he's off duty…_ maybe she _could_ still ask him? And perhaps she wouldn't have to do nearly as much digging to get past the dreaded "Sir Link."

She found herself becoming more and more partial to this idea. But where would she find him?

The answer came just as quickly as the question, with a memory to support it. _The training grounds._

If the captain had beaten into him that not training or guarding was pointless, where else _could_ he be?

So Zelda made her way to the training grounds, not bothering to offer a single glance at those she passed by.

* * *

It was a warm day, despite what Link knew was an approaching winter. Epona hadn't been on a good ride in a long time, so what better day than this?

That was how he'd ended up in Hyrule Field, laying in the yellowed blades of grass. Epona was entertaining herself, running freely for once. She was not meant for days spent in stables and cramped paddocks. She was far too wild at heart. Though she was getting on in years, making the stables far more bearable, she had more than enough energy to run to the Labrynan border and back thrice over.

Link breathed in the crisp autumn air. Autumn was easily one of the most beautiful seasons. All the trees' leaves turning a vibrant range of orange and reds, the crunch of leaves underfoot, the nipping, not quite chilling breeze.

Warmth was an easy thing to come by in central Hyrule. Snow was rare, and even if came, it was never more than an inch. It was one of the things he missed about Kakariko. Days spent rolling through the white powder, scooping snow into mounds. Running through with Liari, laughing-

He stopped before he got ahead, scrunching up his forehead to remove the thought. He couldn't help the way his moistened, and he forced back the droplets. _I can't cry._ "Heroes don't cry," he murmured.

"There you are!" came a sudden voice, causing him to jolt to his feet faster than should be humanly possible.

He turned, and there was none other than Princess Zelda, dismounting her white steed. She turned towards him and smiled so brightly he was certain he was going to be blinded.

Link cleared his throat. "Princess?"

"The one and only." She rolled her eyes.

Link looked at her in confusion, before connecting the dots. "I wasn't aware you needed a guard today. I apologi-"

She waved her hand dismissively. "Oh no, you're absolutely _fine_ ," she insisted. "I know that you're probably sick of me by now, but I wanted to see you. Get the chance to talk to you without any duty in the way, you know?"

"Excuse my bluntness, Your Highness, but _why_ -?"

"-would I come all the way out here to see you?" She blinked as if she'd realized something, but shook her head subtly before continuing on _._ "I thought I'd established this already, Link." She blushed a graceful pink. "I want to be your _friend_."

Link blinked at her, but she didn't give him a moment to respond. "Where did your horse go? ...Epona, was it?" She casted her eyes about in search of the mare.

Link nodded his head towards the place his horse was grazing. "She needed a bit of freedom," he explained.

"Freedom? You mean she isn't tied up or anything?"

Link shook his head. At Zelda's shocked expression, he decided to explain. "She'll come right back the moment I call for her. She's as loyal as can be."

"That's… incredible. Who trained her, if you don't mind me asking?"

Link hesitated for a moment. "I… my mother did." He found a fond smile quirking at the corners of his lips. "Epona was a wild foal near my mother's hometown. She liked to cause a lot of problems, and had no herd to speak of. A knight, my father, came to town on a survey and decided to help my mother catch her. That's how they met, actually."

"Really?" Zelda laughed. "That's one way to meet your future husband." Link frowned as her face fell. "I'm sorry if bringing that up made you uncomfortable… I know that you miss her and all."

"It's fine, Princess." Link found himself genuinely smiling. "I think that's the first time I've talked about anything other than her death in a long time." It was strange, how easy it was to fondly recall his mother.

Zelda sat down on the grass and patted the ground beside her. Link obliged, though he did sit a respectable length away. Her eyes were distant as she gazed out at the evening sun, a fond smile on her face.

"Autumn was always one of my mother's favorite times of the year," she said. "It's so colorful."

Link looked off into the distance, at the forests of gold, the ponds reflecting the evening light. For some reason, it hadn't felt this colorful in a long time.

* * *

 **Chapter Summary: Some people in sweet capes are chilling in the underground, Zelda fights with her (terrible excuse for a) father, and Link likes grass.**

 **Dang, this chapter is all over the place. It is a bit longer though, which makes up for last week's shorter chapter. If you're confused about Zelda's sudden change in mood between the second and third parts, But (spoiler alert) I plan on explaining that in the next chapter, and let's just say someone gave her a good talking to in between points A and B. I NEEDED A STARTING POINT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER, OKAY?! There'll probably be a little shifting around of events when I do the mass edit, but I think this'll make the writer's block much less likely to come. Solid idea = actually writeable.**

 **Much thanks to all of you that reviewed! Holy- we've reached 300 reviews?! When did that happen? (haha, I know when that happened, I was checking for new reviews every five minutes.) But yeah, I never (not in a million years) expected to reach that number. Furthermore, we recently passed _forty chapters_. Many of the chapters are likely to be combined on the mass edit, but still! That's a lot of pages! 316... wow. 78,607 words, not including _Before_ _(Before Before the Rewrite)._ That's like, nearly the length of a full novel, and we're still not quite done! Besides that, we've got 103 favorites and 132 followers. Honestly, guys, I'm so glad that you like this story! Never would've gotten this far without you here! In fact, the moment I dumped the old story would've been the end. So... arigatou gozaimasu! Muchos gracias! Merci beaucoup! Danke sehr! **Dziękuję Ci! **And last of all, thank you very much!**


	43. Not a Chapter: Apologies

**Note: Delete this later?**

 **Hey there, amazing people! If you don't want to read all of this, I made a summary of the note at the bottom.**

 **You're probably wondering why I updated this nearly a week before schedule. I'm really sorry, but this isn't a new chapter. The reason behind it isn't much better.**

 **I've put a lot (when I say a lot, I actually mean a LOT) of thought into this. I've been thinking about doing it on and off over the past few months, but I felt pressured to continue as I was because I really, REALLY don't like upsetting people. Don't get me wrong, this is sure to upset, but I think my reasons are justified.**

 **I don't know if you noticed or not, but the quality _Before (The Rewrite)_ has been declining somewhat over the last few chapters. It's jumpy, the flow isn't great, and I haven't bothered to do a second look through in ages. This primarily induced by pressure and lack of motivation. I love _Before._ I've been working on it for over a year now, and would never have done so if I didn't. But it's starting to take its toll.**

 **At this point in time, I think that I am going to put this story on hiatus. During said hiatus, I plan to fix all the past chapters, get a more stable plot for the rest of the story (at this moment, the plot is not unlike actinides), and write-ahead a bit. I also plan to take more time to work on my other hobbies, like art, piano, and my original book. There's just been a lot of stress going on in my life recently, what with family matters and trying to balance everything at the same time.**

 **Will I update _Before_ soon? That depends on how long it takes to fix up the last forty-one chapters. I plan on binding a few chapters together, moving a few scenes around, adding new scenes, removing pointless scenes, all that fun stuff. It might be awhile. I'll probably end up doing a few one-shots in the meantime. If I'm being honest, if you guys didn't want this story, I'd have abandoned it a long time ago. I'm really, REALLY sorry that I decided to do this, because I've technically kinda sort of already done it once, and I absolutely hate it when other people do it, but I need to do it for my health.**

 **I feel like this is really contradictory to last chapter's author's note. I was going on and on about milestones and how I would've totally abandoned this story if it weren't for you all (which is absolutely true)...**

 **To sum it all up _, Before (The Rewrite)_ is going on a hiatus for an indefinite amount of time because of a combination of stress, declining quality, lacking motivation, and various other odds and ends. During this time, I will be editing _Before (The Rewrite)_ and improving overall quality. This story is NOT being abandoned. I'm really, REALLY sorry that I have to put it on hiatus for right now, but I came to this decision after much thought, and it seems like the best option.**

 **With much apologetic sorrow I can muster, I'd like to thank all of you that have stuck around since the beginning. You've been really patient with the chaotic mess that is me, and I'm really sorry that I'm making you wait even longer for this story to reach its conclusion.**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Ari~**


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